a quick trip to the beach....

we have been trying all summer to go to the beach...so we just said forget planning...let's go...so we left on friday to go to pensacola...our favorite place...we have had so much fun..stephen took jacob fishing today off of the pensacola pier...jacob caught three big fish but only landed one...it was a spanish mackrel..the other two were so big his line broke both times..the coolest thing though was we saw a sea turtle in the gulf...it was huge..it weighed at least 300 pounds...we could not get a picture because it came up quickly and then went back down pluse it was at sunset...pic may not have developed...anyway...it was cool...something we all saw...here are some pics.. my sweet angel girl

me and my hubby

sunset at pensacola...most beautiful one ever

my sweet demons i mean angels

look what i caught

not sure what we were doing but the expressions are priceless...

sand angel

my diva...

this was the most still he was the whole trip

the way i spent my first day off....

this should be of great enjoyment to anyone who reads this...i woke up this morning to no water...now before i go any further...you must understand that we have more utility problems than the common citizen...we have a power company whose CEO is Mickey Mouse (we have lost power 6 times this summer - all were transformers that had been hit by lightening) ...we have a phone company that is run by The Wiggles (if anything wiggles in the atmosphere the phone and internet go out) and our local water department is run by Barney Fife...(if you should have a water problem good luck getting anyone out here to look out...and if they come out then they pull up in the yard honk the horn and holler "what's the problem?" to which i have responded numerous times, "that is what i called you for!" ok so on to the story...so i call the water department...this is the conversation...lincoln water department...yes has anyone reported a water problem off of ridge drive...no...well we have no water...no one has called and if it was our problem we would have received more calls...well i still don't have water...have you checked your pressure regulator...no what is that...a mechanism on your turn on / off valve...no...well you need to go check it before you call us...so you are not going to send anyone out to check it...i did not say we were not going to send anyone out but you still need to check your pressure regulator...

ok so by this time i am furious...i go outside to see if i can find the on/off valve to check this infamous pressure regulator...like i really know what i am looking for...only to discover my yard is full of water and continues to pour out from under the house like niagra falls...ok so at this point it is not the pressure regulator nor is it the water department's problem...so i have to call them back to tell them not to send anyone out...yes this was embarrassing but let the fact remain they were ugly....so i tell them it appears to be a broken pipe...hang up the phone...go out to again find this valve...find it and cut if off...

so i call the plumber we have used before...no return call...called another guy that i went to high school with...no return phone call and then i hear someone honking in the yard...i go to the door to find the local water department...they roll their window down and say "what's the problem?" I tell them that i called and told them not to send anyone out...well the other genius in the truck says, "There is your problem water is coming out from under your house." i wanted to say, "really sherlock" honestly, there were other thoughts that were going through my mind...

so they leave and i call a third plumbing company...they will get all of my future business...why because they called me back and had someone out here within 2 hours...you would think as tight as money is right now people would do a better job at customer service...so these two guys come out who looked like i needed to make them sit down and do their homework and fix them some cookies and kool aid....come out in the rain...they come in to tell me that a pipe had come loose under the house and the reason it did was because it looked like it had been repaired before but whoever repaired it only glued one side...that person would be the plumber we had used before...note to self...don't use him again...anyway they got it fixed and i have water....

i don't do domestic problems well...if you really want to see me mad let a "machine" break...such as no air conditioning...car problems..dishwasher...now let's add water...i deal with personal emotional problems not machines...

so hopefully the rest of my time off will be spent relaxing while we are at the beach...we leave in the morning...i am so excited...just to get away....

secrets revealed....

many of my dear loyal readers have been asking about my new "food plan"...so here it is...i was told in may that if i did not lose 100 pounds i would be dead in five years from cirrhosis...this is due to the fact that my liver is "excessively fat due to diabetes." the doctors suggested to have a "forced weight loss" by having lap band surgery...for those of you who know me you know that i do not do well with pain meds or anesthesia...i like to quit breathing...well the other night i was at books a million looking at the clearance rack...i have a love affair with clearance...anyway i found "dr. phil's ultimate weight loss solutions" book and food guide for $3.97!!!!! i was so pumped...i love dr phil cause he just puts it out there...thing is people are accepting of him when he does it but when i put it out there it does not go over so well...oh well!!! anyway so i begin reading the self help book...it is so good and sensible...he has very good points...he has it broken down into seven keys...he is adament that you do not skip forward...he equates going through this program like a college course...follow the syllabus...anyway...my favorite thing so far is that he said if "you eat something that slides down your throat it will slide on to your butt"...his piont is that you need to eat foods that you actually have to chew and work for...raw veggies for example...then there is the food guide that has the menus made out for you...now if you are like me...if you are told what to eat and how much you will do it...i fail when i have to come up with things to cook...i will post some of the menus over the weekend...so then he talks about water, water, water, ....i drink one cup of coffee in the morning and the rest of the day is water...he does say it is okay to put some of the sugar free kool aid packs in the water....on in the self help book he actually has behavioral audits...this shows you what triggers you to eat...like for me...it is at night because i am bored...i work all day and don't slow down to eat but because i am so tired when i get home i don't feel like doing anything else...

with all of this said, i have lost 25 pounds since june 1 and am walking 1 - 2 miles a day...i am very focused...the other key is that i have put my family pretty much on their own...they are not on board with me with this plan so they can find something to eat on their own...i should say my daughter wants to do it with me but she has been out of town...

when i hit 30 pounds i am going to put before and after pics on here...if you have any more questions, please let me know...this is the best plan i have ever done....

why is it...

let me forwarn you that this may turn out to be a rant about a couple of things...i have wanted for a long time to say the things that i am about to say...i may hurt a few people's feelings and i may just tick some people off...but i have to say this...why is it that every religion thinks their religion is the best...work with me here...for years the church of christ has been stereotyped of "you are the ones who don't have music"..yes we do we sing every time the doors are open...or "you think you are the only ones going to heaven" well unfortunately there are few of them who do truly believe that...all i have to say to that is glad you are making God's decisions...or "yall believe that you got to go all the way under the water to be saved"...well Jesus did so why don't you...He was immersed you know...that came straight from the good book...or "yall are the ones who take the Lord's Supper every Sunday"...why yes we do...anywho...on we shall go with the churches i have run into who have resorted to calling other common denominations "occults", or those who will not let you partake of the Lord's Supper, if it should be on that one particular sunday of the quarter, unless you are a member of that church, or to those churches that have a committee for forming committees...or those churches who have human leaders that they equate to the good Lord Almighty...or those who feel it is ok to drink like a fish during the week and don't mind buying their case of beer at walmart on saturday so they can drink it after the sermon on sunday...here is the bottom line...I AM SICK AND TIRED OF PEOPLE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT GOD...IF IT IS WRITTEN HE HAS TOLD YOU WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW...IF WE SPENT HALF THE TIME WE SPEND ON FINDING FAULTS WITH OTHERS ON STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD...I WOULD NOT BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION....AND THIS GOES FOR ME TOO!

here is the scoop...

first of all i want to thank everyone for all the prayers that were sent up for me during this long illness...i truly felt the prayers everyday...my favorite part is that my dear friend miranda sent out emails to our high school classmates asking for prayer and to give them an update on my condition...it was very hard for me to ask people for help....i don't like to ask for anything....you do not realize how much you can't do for yourself until you are faced with it...so here is the scoop...after three hospitalizations since may 19, deciding to quit breathing and having my pj's cut off of me in front of my mother, and being told i had a broken rib, i underwent an ercp which revealed the problem...my pancreatic duct was 1/4 the size it should have been so the doc put a stint in place and my duodenum was 95% blocked...both of these were full of gallstones...the doc said that when he drained both of these it looked like what comes out of a car after you change the oil...YUCK..he said that no food could go down or come up hence the reason i was in so much pain...basically the food had been sitting there for over a month...doc said, "it was gross"...i am doing better...have gone back to work...am learning to take care of me rather than pleasing everyone else...for example, this was my first week back at work and on friday morning i woke up sick, we will not go into the details, i did not go to work...no second thoughts, no going in late, no feeling guilty, i did not go to work...i rested all day...still not feeling great...but i am alive....we are now looking at lap band surgery...i was told my dear doctor who i trust with my life...told me that i would be dead within five years of cirrhosis if i did not have lap band surgery to reverse the fatty liver...so here is the deal...i did not have fatty liver in september...but we have linked the fatty liver to the new insulin that i started in september...it is a LONG story....but anyway, i will have a liver biopsy when i have the lapband surgery....but most importantly...THANK YOU for all the prayers, cards, visits, food and everything else....love to you all.....

who is betty crocker.....

i have recently ordered this easy bake bundt cake pan...it is totally AWESOME...it is made of some sort of plastic and it cooks in the oven on the rack up to 450 degrees...so here is the process and the end result...granted i know the cake is not beautifully iced...but hey those of you who know me know that this is a major accomplishment.....

i am not as dumb as i look....

many of you know that my one thing in life that frustrates me more than anything else is my HOUSE!!! Lord knows i try to work, raise kids, raise my husband, go to church and be the superwoman that i want to be...but my house is usually the last on the list - i let it slide because i tell myself that nobody ever comes to my house because i live so far out in the woods....anyway, my daughter finished her junior year and she has never had to work any type of job or anything...momma and daddy have always given her what she wanted...well i told her she could either get a job at a fast food resturant or be my maid...to my surprise she chose to be my maid...now i am blessed in the fact that jamie is very good at cleaning...she is quick and thorough...so instead of worrying myself to death over the house...she is my maid and she gets paid...now we are not talking about washing the dishes...we are talking deep cleaning...this first week has been awesome...i will post pictures as soon as i can...with me being sick over the past couple of weeks, this has allowed me to heal much quicker...hope everyone has a great weekend....

boys were born on mars.....

ok gang, if i could have burned my son's room down without burning the rest of the house i would have...it was so bad that i am utterly ashamed to even have a before and after picture...what got me inspired was a blog that i found, i think on becky's blog, about a tour of children's rooms and nurseries...so we jumped into cleaning up his room for the millionth time....actually my great and wonderful husband headed up this adventure...anyway, when it was done jacob came to me and said, "i am never messing my room up again...daddy has broke me"...ok that was funny...but that is not the best part....my children have chores for the summer...one of jacob's chores this summer is to make his bed everyday...now i am not a stickler for stuff but i am trying to show jacob that it is alot of hard work to keep a space clean...so anyway, i went into his room and helped him make up his bed so that he would know what i expected when i came home from work everyday...so the bed is made...it is so pretty and he wants to put his spiderman blanket at the end of this bed...ok...innocent enough huh...well i get up this morning to check on him..and what did i find????? jacob is asleep under spiderman and on top of his made bed from last night....i am telling you that the male species is weird...but we love them anyway.....

where do we go from here?

this is a question i have been asking myself for several days ...especially while laying in icu...i have alot of decisions to make on many levels in the next few weeks...i ask that you all pray for me to make the right decisions for my physical health and more importantly my spiritual health...i am so happy to be back in the land of the living...however i have a ways to go...here is the reader's digest condensed version of what has been going on over the past two weeks...on may 20th, i passed out at work...had not been feeling great but hey you got to keep working right...bp was sky high and pulse was in the 150 range...well they send me to the hospital via ambulance...yeah.....and i stayed in the er for four hours to be told that i had an asthma attack...the kicker is that i don't have asthma...did i mention that they stuck me 8 times to get an iv, two failed arterial sticks for abg's and then a femoral artery stick...omg...it hurt...anyway they sent me home...wednesday i went back to my regular doctor who decided to put me in the hospital and see what was going on cause now i had blood in my urine and lots of other stuff...so we go to the hospital, get a picc line, some iv antibiotics and pain meds...cause you see my back is killing me but i am also having upper left quadrant pain...i did ok for wed and thurs night but friday night was a different story...evidently...my respiratory system gave in to the pain meds i was on and i quit breathing...all i know is that i woke up in icu with everyone standing over me screaming at me...i was on oxygen for several days...puked my guts out for about six hours...it was horrible...while in icu we did several more tests including three ct scans...these revealed that i have severe fatty liver disease...what does this mean you may ask...well your liver processes everything in your body...well i am diabetic so my body does not use the insulin that i produce...what littile it is...so i inject myself with insulin...my body uses what it can and the rest of it is stored in my liver and turns to fat...therefore, it is a relentless cycle that my body goes through when trying to lose weight, manage diabetes and everything else...so prolonged fatty liver disease will cause cirrhosis...i thought that was only for drunks...anyway...so my doc...who is absolutely wonderful might i add...told me that if we did not get a handle on this now...i would be dead in five years of cirrhosis...hello...did you wake up cause i sure did...so his solution is for me to have a liver biopsy to make sure there is nothing else going on and then have lap band surgery...he states that if lose 100 or so pounds then the fatty liver can be reversed...for many reasons...one the forced weight loss will require me to use less insulin and the weight loss in and of it self will help...i am not one to be easily defeated but i have tried numerous times to lose weight and it only gets worse because various factors...so that is the long and short of where i have been...please keep me and my family in your prayers as we go through this journey together...also pray that i will be able to keep my job...we all know that jobs are few and far between right now....

where oh where have i been?

let's see...it seems like i have been around the world in not 80 days but maybe 14...it has been a whirlwind...i am still working in boaz two days a week...in pell city three days a week...oh i'm sorry make that the other 5 days of the week - yes that includes weekends...i am tired and oh so weary...ok enough of that...

it has been busy...stephen has had viral pink eye...my aunt had brain surgery again...kids have been sick with everyday crud....jamie went to a friend's house and had a run in with a scooter and an incline...guess who won...i am tired or rain and thunder...oh and did i mention that some days we have power and some days we don't...

but the best part of the past two weeks? i should put this on a blog of its own, but my team at golden living raised over $800 for relay for life...it was GREAT...and i got to have dinner with some of my closest friends from high school last night at top of the river...some of them i had not seen in 15 years...it was great...

i guess i should quit fussing and whining because i am alive, my child is cancer free and i have a job....

blogging is therapeutic...

the abc's of me

In case you did not know....

A - Age: 33

B - Bed Size: Queen

C - Chore you hate: all

D - Dog's name: which one - jake, charlie, dude, sparkles, harley and roxie

E - Essential start your day item: coffee

F - Favorite color(s):purple

G - Gold or Silver: gold

H - Height: 5'8"

I - Instruments you play: trumpet, clarinet, french horn, melaphone and some piano

J - Job title: Director of Social Services

K - Kids- two - great - aka earthquake and tsunami

L - Living arrangements- house full - hubs, two kids and 4 cats

M - Mom's name: Audrey

N - Nicknames: Gin

O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth: too many to count

P - Pet Peeve: people

Q - Quote from a movie: If you lose one more brain cell you will be a walking talking monkey" Summer School

R - Right or left handed: Right

S - Siblings: one sister

T - Time you wake up: 5:30 am

U - Underwear: Omar the tent maker

V - Vegetable you dislike: hominy

W - Workout style: have you seen me lately

X - X-rays you've had: again too many to count

Y - Yesterday's best moment: eating supper with my granny

Z - Zoo favorite: all but the snakes

Cinderella...aka Jamie

i don't think there are any words that i can use to describe how proud i was last night when my baby walked out of her room to leave for her junior prom....i know that many of you have small children and they are a handful...but what i would give for jamie to be little again...they will be grown up before you know it...hope you enjoy the pics...

the joke is on me....

ok...so you would think that after being married for almost 12 years i would know not to believe anything that comes out of my husband's mouth...he is the biggest practical joker ever...well today is no different...

he sent me an email telling me that jamie had been in a fight at school with another girl..she was in on campus suspension for 4 days...she could not go to the prom friday night...she was acting like a thug...and we have spent all this money on this prom for nothing....this is just in a nutshell...so i try to call him and can't get him so i call the school to see what is going on...now remember i am working in boaz today...i have two old people in a physical altercation and a suicidal person at the pell city building and i have been interviewing potential social workers...my mind is spinning...ok back to the school...the secretary tells me she does not know anything about this but she would have the principal call me as soon as he came back in....so i call stephen again and ask him what is going on and that i need some details...he casually replies, "the only detail you need to know is it is april fools day." i could have come through the telephone. so i had to call the school back and tell the secretary that the joke was on me...she just rolled...i was about to throw up...

now please understand that my daughter is very passive and does not stick up for herself...i have been trying to teach her to be more assertive and not take crap off of anyone...so i was getting ready to have to eat my words...but oh well...she is going to the prom, my hubs is still alive..for now...and tomorrow is a new day....

Let's play catch up....

yes i am still alive but have been busier than a one armed paper hanger...if you know what i mean...life has been super busy...regular stuff plus unexpected stuff such as working out of town for two days last week, having to give up caffeine cold turkey - that will be discussed in a moment - having a cardiac pet scan that i thought was going to kill me...oh my goodness...fuel pump went out on the "new car" and multiple other things...but oh well...i never said my life was peaceful...

now for the caffeine story---

i was asked to go work at the boaz building on wednesday and thursday of last week...no problem...i could go and see my granny while i was up that way...i get about 10 miles from the building and get a phone call that informs me that state has just walked in their building...now mind you that their social worker has QUIT...i have never been in this building before and know not a soul...ok so me and Lord have a prayer session and onward i go...so wednesday goes pretty good...i got done at a decent time and went by my granny's and had supper with her and my aunt and uncle... but thursday was a different story...

due to the fact that i had to have the afore mentioned cardiac pet scan..i could not have ANY caffeine for 24 hours prior to the test...yes you heard it 24 hours prior to the test...so to start with i have to deal with the state with no caffeine...i drive home a nervous wreck and then have to prepare for the vampires to dig for a vein on friday morning for the test...

friday morning comes and i am seriously considering ditching the test because i really needed some caffeine..but no being the good girl that i am i toughed it out and went for the test...praise the Lord the vampire got the vein on the first try...we start the test and everything is fine until they give me the medicine to "stress" my heart...oh my heavens...can i tell you how bad that hurts...i seriously thought i was gone to see the Lord...i made it through the test and was headed straight for Starbucks...well i had a change of plans...i decided to go to mcdonalds and get a burrito and a cup of coffee...and the nice little girl at the speaker asks if i would like cream and sweetner in my coffee...i said sure...that goodness she could not see that i was white knuckling the steering wheel and shaking like a dead leaf...i was seriously in withdrawals...

i get to the window, get my food, coffee and diet coke...open the coffee thingy to let it cool off and proceed to eat my breakfast and drink my diet coke...i am finished at this point and am looking forward to my first drink of coffee in over 24 hours...i take one big drink and it is BLACK as sut...it was awful...i am so mad...i am shaking like someone in dt's from crack...i am furious...i am shaking uncontrollably....yall i get off at the next exit and went to the mcdonalds...walk in with my coffee in hand - shaking - i am trying to calmly explain that i need some creamer and sweetner...the poor little spanish girls behind the counter were speaking a language i could not understand...i know they were talking about the crazed white fat chick with a cup of coffee...but all i wanted out of them was creamer and equal...they were very nice to give it to me...no one got hurt...i guess i am not really a caffeine whore but maybe a caffeine tease...if i was a whore i would have drank it black....once i got the coffee fixed and took that first drink - again...life was good...everything was beautiful again...don't mess with a woman and her coffee...

what my children think of me....

Following is a list of questions that I asked both of my kids and these are their answers...the first answer is from my 17 year old and the second one is from my 9 year old...i asked them seperately....

( just type what the kids said...)

Jamie 17 years old
Jacob 9 years old

1. What is something mom always says to you?
i love you
i love you

2. What makes mom happy?
shopping and peace
hugs and kisses and loving

3. What makes mom sad?
people hurting my feelings
when i come home with discipline referrals - this is what he actually said

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
by making crazy faces
the medicine face - i do not like liquid medicine - AT ALL

5. What was your mom like as a child?
sassy
cuddly

6. How old is your mom?
33
i don't know

7. How tall is your mom?
taller than me
4 feet

8. What is her favorite thing to watch on TV?
Intervention and Clean House
Clean House

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
talks on the phone
i don't know because i am not around - that is a dumb question

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
being a talk show host
for talking

11. What is your mom really good at?
her job, cooking and talking
talking

12. What is your mom not very good at?
being quiet
getting to the car on time

13. What does your mom do for her job?
social work
social worker

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
okra
beans

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
When she doesn't go totally off on people who make her mad at work
EVERYTHING - that you are my momma

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Minnie Mouse
Tom from Tom and Jerry

17. What do you and your mom do together?
chill
watch tv

18. How are you and your mom the same?
when we don't feel good nobody feels good
i always know what you are going to say

19. How are you and your mom different?
totally different personalities
i am a boy and you are a girl

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
gives me hugs and kisses all the time
because you are my momma and you would have killed me by now

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?
sense of humor
i don't know and why are you asking me all these questions

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
beach
church

blue teeth

here is another story to add to the "jacob file"...kids started school late on monday because of the "snow"...i don't know what we would do if we actually had a blizzard...but anyway, i ventured to let jamie and jacob stay home - together - to get ready for school and pray they did not kill each other...jamie called me later and said that jacob did real well getting dressed except that he went to school with blue teeth....yes i said i blue teeth...well it should seem that jacob got into the pantry and got some fun dip down...proceeds to eat it and when jamie tells him he has to brush his teeth he informs her that no he does not....she again tells him he has to brush his teeth and he says not if i can run faster than you and out the back door he went to my parents' house...so my child went to school on monday as if he had smurf teeth...wish i had a pic

Let It Snow...a bad memory....

i am one of those alabamians who actually hates snow...the blizzard of 93 forever scarred me...i was a senior in high school and my sister had been in a terrible car accident in january...severely broken her arm and could basically do nothing...it was awful...my dad was out of pocket and i was trapped in the house with my mother and my sister...we were out of power and the gas ran out...the only lifeline to the outside world was the telephone and it was questionable...we ate bologna sandwiches and froze to death...hence the reason i don't like bologna sandwiches now and i refuse to be cold....now this is the reader's digest condensed version...there is much more to this story but it is not leisurely reading...anyway so to say the least...if i never saw snow again it would be too soon....

however, this morning was quite beautiful but i was glad to see it go away...enjoy the pics of the snow in the country.....

Jacob on the back porch


Jamie in the front yard

a dog's life...

does this not look like being totally rotten? dude is the bassett hound that i got for my birthday last year. the other dog is jake...these two are the laziest dogs ever...

had a great weekend...my family was over for a "reunion"...it was so great to see them...some of my cousins i had not seen in over 10 years that is pitiful...i promise it won't be that long before we get together again...i have some pics but i need to ask permission of the people in them before i post them...

busy week coming up...i am going to perdido bay for a social work conference...i hope there will be a little time to play...pics soon to come....

chinese fire drill - geriatric style

most of you have probably experienced some severe weather today...i do not like severe weather...i like nice sunny days...now the reason i do not like severe weather has nothing to do with the fact that i don't like thunder, lightening and such as that...it is that it usually happens in the middle of the day when i am work - at the nursing home...have you ever tried to pull 94 old people out in the hallway, keep them entertained as well as their family members...yall i did this not once today but twice...no i did not do this by myself but guess what happened in the middle of it...yep you guessed it...someone walks in from outside and wants to take a tour...yes while everyone and all their glory is in the hallway...we must not have looked too bad because the ladies are going to admit their mother tomorrow... oh for another day in the life of a social worker....

whatever

i am not real sure what to call this blog...i am just down in the honkin dumps...it seems that the harder one tries to do right, live life to the fullest and all that other stuff that the "professionals" tell you to do...the harder it is to even hold your head up...

nursing homes are not nut houses

this could very likely be the title of my next book! why is it that the general population believes that nursing homes are old people's prisons or nut houses? i am being serious...would someone please help me! now i realize that if you do not work in a certain environment then you are unfamiliar with the inner workings of that environment...what brings this topic up is that i have been wearing an additional hat this week - that would be admissions director...this means that i get to look at all referrals and filter through them - now there is nothing really different about this because all referrals have to come through me first anyway...but oh my goodness - i have never in my life seen so many crazy insane referrals...i received 10 referrals between monday and wednesday...here is the mix i got...homeless man found unconsious in an alley, a man three months out of federal prison, man who tested positive for cocaine and barbituates, man who is actively suicidal, man who has escaped the hospital 5 times in one stay, man who is wanting to kill his wife....need i go on...this is proof that strange things happen when the moon is full!

now i would like to enlighten others about "nursing homes"...i cannot speak for all nursing homes, but i can speak of the "living center" that i work for now...our home does not smell, we have two weenie dogs, bubba joe and sissy lynn that live there, we go out to eat, we have lots of activites that are not coloring books, we have birds that live there, our residents do community service projects, and much more...

yes we have residents who are very sick and we have some that are mentally ill but it is not a prison or a nut house...i would encourage everyone to visit a nursing home, skilled nursing facility, living center or whatever you call it and see how different it is now than the picture you might have in your mind....

foot cramps and farmer's markets...

i have had a great weekend despite foot cramps....i have been battling foot cramps and calf cramps for about a month...i never know when they are going to hit...and when they do it is like ray stephen's song that says, ''the day the squirrel went biserk in the first self rightous church"...the world stops...it hurts so bad...it really does not matter what is in front of you or if you are holding a child...you will drop whatever you are doing or in my case wake from a sound sleep...

anyway, my mom and dad asked me if i wanted to go to the farmer's market on saturday morning...i was excited for a few reasons...number one i could not believe they thought of me...second....it was a beautiful day to get out and third of all....i could get some fresh vegetables...

now if you have not ridden with my dad you have missed a treat or should i say roller coaster ride...you will buckle up the moment you get in the truck because if you don't the centrifical force will not allow you to do so after take off...it is 53.6 miles from his driveway to the farmer's market...and let me tell you when we pulled back into the "station" i.e. his yard - i was so happy....

besides the roller coaster ride...i got some great veggies..squash, okra, collard, turnip greens, fruits to include strawberries, apples, oranges, peaches....

and to top the day off my momma showed out in the kitchen...she cooked up a bunch of this stuff and it was sooooooooooooo good!

how many years will it take?

before you read this blog, please know that this blog is not meant to offend anyone or their profession...

today's thought is "how many years will it take?" now the reason this question comes up is because of my profession - social work. understand that social work began in the late 19th century - we are in the 21st century. so you see this is not a profession that was born overnight, we have had many years to perfect our practice and we also have to go to school to earn that diploma and license that is required to practice. the problem with social work is that you cannot touch or see what we do. you cannot measure what we do - unless you weigh the amount of paperwork the government requires. nurses give shots and pills, doctors "fix" things, teachers teach people, physical therapists teach people to walk again, preachers preach...get the picture.

all of this brings up the one statement that absolutely sends me over the edge. this just happened to be the week that it was the "hot statement". drum roll please..."you are not clinical." Webster's defines clinical as:

clin⋅i⋅cal   /ˈklɪnɪkəl/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [klin-i-kuhl] Show IPA Pronunciation

–adjective 1. pertaining to a clinic.
2. concerned with or based on actual observation and treatment of disease in patients rather than experimentation or theory.
3. extremely objective and realistic; dispassionately analytic;

diseases are not just communicable diseases...there are mental health diseases, Alzheimer's disease, PTSD,

can any of the above mentioned professions that you can see and touch what they do treat any of this? are any of the above mentioned professions trained to treat this? NO NO NO. Furthermore, these issues are treated in a clinic setting, i observe people to formulate a treatment plan, i analyze information that is given to me through medical records and battery of tests that i administer to my patients; therefore, according to the definition of Webster himself, I AM CLINICAL.

now most of you may wonder why i am on such a soap box. if i have been questioned once this week about my judgement in a situation related to the psychosocial needs of my residents i have been questioned a hundred. i don't mind people asking me questions or giving suggestions, but i am sick and tired of people telling me i am not clinical. what this translates to is, no offense anyone, but "you are not a nurse or doctor." it makes one feel as though what they bring to the table is not important and is not respected. i went to school just as long as other people and longer than some to be trained at what i do. it is not something i just pulled out of my butt...i just wish people would realize that just because you can't see or touch what someone does, does not mean that it is not important and play an integral part in the term that healthcare loves so much - "interdisciplinary team." so my question is how many years will it take before social workers are respected and treated as equals? anybody got any ideas

now that is off my chest, i hope everyone has a great week!

who says you can't go home....

ok before anyone freaks out..no i am not moving back to blue river drive...it has been an extremely long weekend..i slept thursday night for the first night in a week...i was so relieved to know that my precious daughter was still CANCER FREE! i slept friday night so soundly...only to be wakened on saturday to terrible news...now understand when my executive director calls you it is usually not good...if she calls you on the weekend it is really not good...and you can bet your bottom dollar that if she calls at 8 am it is terrible...i missed the call...looked at my husband and said, " i guess state is in the building." what i would give if it had been that simple...kim called to tell me that our beloved director of maintenance, preston tollison, had suddenly died of a massive heart attack...my gut hit the floor...i had lost a friend totally unexpectedly...i was sick...why had this happened? his wife kristin is a nurse at our facility as well...this is where they met...he was only 46 years old...my mind was spinning...kim gave instruction for me to go the facility and inform all the residents and do the necessary paperwork...let me tell you in all of my years as a social worker i have never had anything like this...i have been chased out of yards by pigs, dogs, by a lady with a butcher knife...most of my stories are funny at some point...there is nothing funny about this...i had to go tell all these residents that "pete" was gone...he had worked there for over 20 years...he was a fixture...he knew where every screw, every wire, every everything was in that building...so i went to the building told the residents, did care plans for the ones that were cognitive and made notes on the other ones...then had to type a letter to family members explaining what had happened..cause you definately don't want an elderly person telling people that someone has died...you know they will send you out for stuff like that...i worked all day...brought all the letters home to fold and stuff in the envelopes...i would fold and i would cry, i would fold and i would cry...finally stephen said,"give me those you will never get them folded"...he folded and stuffed the envelopes and i put the labels on the front and taped the back...so saturday was over...then there was sunday...i went back to the building to help get the residents ready to go the funeral...all i am going to say is that it is a trip...so we go to the funeral home...there lays our "sweet pete"...that is what we called him...he looked peaceful but it was not real...i had just seen him on friday...he said to me, "bring me the meausrements on monday and i will start on your bookshelf"...he was going to build me a bookshelf for my house...i can honestly say the last words i said to "sweet pete" were thank you...

there is a song that says, "who says you can't go home"..the home i am looking for is not on blue river drive where i grew up or on ridge drive where i live now...we never know when we will be called "home"...who says you can't go home...before you are ready...i really think that pete was ready to go home...he lived his life to the fullest...i only knew him for a short period of time but he impacted my life in many ways...this weekend reminded me of what God says, "life is but a vapor" i love you all and hope that i have been as a good of a friend to all of you as all of you have been to me...let's all be ready to go home when our time comes...

God is AWESOME

First I want to give all the praise and glory to the most AWESOME GOD! I may open a few cans of worms with what I am about to write, but I have no choice but to share what happened yesterday. Stephen took Jamie to Children's for her MRI scans. It took about 3 hours to do the scans. Stephen was sitting in the lobby waiting on her. He said that the 700 Club was on TV. Now I am going to go ahead and tell you that I was not raised to watch tele evangelists nor to believe that people had any power to know anything other than what was in front of them. Now that this is out of the way, Stephen said he was reading and watching TV, when Pat Robertson began to close the show with his prayer. He was praying for the ones who had called in asking for prayer. He got to the end of the prayer and he stopped, and said, "Father, there is a young girl out there who is suffering with a cyst, but we have asked you to heal her and we know that you have...in your name, Amen." Now chill bumps ran up and down Stephen's spine as well as mine when he told me this.

Ok, now I am going to do like my good friend Beck says, "If you disagree, just humor me...it won't hurt."

This was just a remarkable thing to happen. Those of you who know me and my family well know how awesome this is. Now please do not misunderstand me that I think that Pat Robertson healed my child or some such craziness as that. But do understand that this is huge because Stephen said as they were praying, Stephen said to himself, "what about Jamie...why can't she be healed?" Then there is the end to this prayer. I just thought this was awesome among other things....

OK now for the clinical stuff... WE DO NOT HAVE CANCER!!!! Thank you Lord! We do have a "fluid filled cavity" in the spinal cord that is "so deep you should not be feeling anything...you are probably just having anxiety attacks." OK at this point I am about to take off this doctor's head. It was not a pretty site. Let me just say I was not a very good example to others but I did not curse!!!! Jamie stated that she did not feel like he was listening to her and that she was wasting his time. Well oh no this did not fly - AT ALL! We got our stuff, gave them their "report card" they mistakenly asked me to fill out and got the MRI scans on CDs. We are seeking a second opinion for the "fluid filled cavity". We are not getting a second opinion for the no cancer dx, but for the pain and how it is related to the "fluid filled cavity." Furthermore, there has to be something that is causing her pain. Above all, I want her to feel comfortable going to the doctor. There will be a day when I will not be able to go with her and she needs to be able to have the confidence to question and know her body.

So to sum it up, we are CANCER FREE, still hurting but very hopeful! I want all of you to know that I can never express to you how much it means that I have so many people praying for my daughter and my entire family...All of you rock!!!!

prayer warriors arise....

ok guys and gals, it is that time...my daughter goes for the mri of the brain and spine tomorrow with and without contrast...i have no doubt that it is there but i am fully trusting in God that he will make it the simplest solution...yes i am scared..yes i am nervous...i am human...i am asking for prayer...i know i ask alot for prayer for myself but i am asking it for my baby...i love you all....

We have a diagnosis....

Following is a excerpt from the National Organization for Rare Disorders that explains what is going on with Jamie right now. To add to this, as many of you know, they transferred Jamie from St. Vincent's / St. Clair to Children's Hospital on Saturday night. Jamie had complained that her back was hurting about a month ago. Two weeks ago, a knot popped up on her spine. Called the doctor and got an appointment. Before we could get to the doc, she began having real bad headaches. When we get to the doctor, she wanted a MRI done because she could feel the knot as well. She wanted to treat the headaches as migraines because truthfully the symptoms fit that. So doc prescribed two meds - one for a daily basis and the other on an acute basis. So we have been on meds for about week and headaches are not any better. Friday she went for the MRI and went back to school. Two hours later we get a phone call that she has "fainted and her face is fire red." We go and get her take her home. Called doc and said I don't think the headaches and the back is related - may just be a bug...take her home and bedrest for next 48 hours. Saturday morning she still was not feeling well and her eyes wer 4 mm dilated. At this point, I call the doc back and explained what was going on. The moment I said her eyes were dilated, he said, "stop...go to the er...her mri has just come back and she has a syrinx". He went on to kind of explain what it is. He did ask us to go to the local ER so that he could call the ER doc and explain ther seriousness of this. By the time we got to the ER, the ER had already been on the phone with neurosurgery at Children's. They transferred us to Children's. We were told that this is a very rare disorder and that there are three kinds. One is that a child is born with, second is tethering and third is that it is cancer. They feel that if she was born with it, then it would have been found when she was small and in the hospital for the first round of cancer. The tethering is when a cyst forms and then gets caught up in the CSF and gets stuck to the spinal column - hence the term tethering. The third is cancer which is pretty self explanatory. The docs said the second one, tethering, is the most common reason, but since Jamie has had cancer before, the third rises above the tethering. We are praying it is not cancer. We know she is going to have to have surgery regardless. Whatever it is, we are praying that it will be the least painful and damaging to Jamie. As you read this small article you will understand the severity of this. Thanks so much for your prayers.


Synonyms of Syringomyelia

Hydromyelia
Morvan Disease
Spinal Cord Cyst
Syringohydromyelia
Disorder Subdivisions



General Discussion
Syringomyelia is a neurological disorder characterized by the formation of a fluid-filled cyst (syrinx) within the spinal cord. This cyst may, for unknown reasons, expand during adolescence or the young adult years, destroying the center of the spinal cord as it does.

As the syrinx expands, it affects the nerves that stimulate the patient’s legs, arms, back and shoulders. In turn, the affected individual may feel considerable pain and weakness, and may lose the ability to distinguish hot from cold objects. The combination of symptoms and signs may vary considerably from person to person, depending on where in the spine the syrinx is located and how much it expands over time. Often, the symptoms develop slowly. Unless the condition is treated surgically, it may lead to neurological deficits and chronic, intense pain.

parenthood is made for two not one....

ok no offense to any single parent...actually kudos...how do you do it.....my hubby is out of town for this week...i have a 17 year old and a 9 year old to deal with...you just really take for granted what you do for each other and don't realize it...for those of you who don't know this is a recap of the week so far...stephen leaves on sunday, we end up in er with jamie and her eye, monday i come home to be a good momma and make fried pork chops, homemade mashed potatoes and corn and my son says "YUCK", this morning jacob's med is mia, i think the cats are the guilty party, get to work and am surprised by an unannounced visit from our corporate division to do a "mock survey" which is just like the surveys that the state health department does...jamie goes for her mri today and they have conveniently rescheduled it for friday without notifying me...come home and my trash can is sitting at my house...i cannot pull this thing to the end of the road....my dad was supposed to do it...long story...and now i am having foot and leg cramps......stephen has been gone less than 72 hours and i amready to give up the ghost...anybody got any advice...a sister is suffering......

you'll put your eye out

ok girls...i am a bachelorette this week...don't get excited...it is a school week and i have one monster who DOES NOT like to get out of bed...now granted today is a holiday so i don't have to fight with them...here is the story...stephen is gone for not even 24 hours and jamie tries to put her eye out - seriously....a stupid decorative pillow is the culprit ...she was laying on her bed about to get ready for a youth devo and rolled over and began screaming...it seems that the sequins that are strung on the pillow with nothing more than fishing line scraped across her eye....yes i said scraped across the eye...she screamed...we rinsed we flushed we did everything we can think...mind you this is the eye she is 70% blind in so i was freaking out....anyway off to the er we go...we arrive at 3:45 pm only to be greeted by lifesaver helicopter...so i knew we would be there a while...i hope that person is better...at 8:15 pm we are called to a room and at 9:05 pm we are on our way out the door...is something out of proportion here...anyway...she has a corneal abrasion...so she looks real cute with a patch on her eye..she would not let me take pics...anyway i will put up the menu for the rest of the week tonight...we will probably have frozen pizza....thank goodness today is a holiday and don't i have to fight with anyone this morning....

Leaders and Relationships

I am 33 years old and I got more out of a youth devo than I think the youth did. We were supposed to go camping last night - yes in the frigid cold - but luckily the Lord shown his wisdom down on our youth minister and instead we had a pizza party / devo with another church...anyway...here is the text...Numbers 13:30 "Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it." Now here were the points, unity, urgency and unwaivering faith. The speaker's points were as follows: 1. Caleb said, "We should go" - this is the unity 2. take possession - this is the urgency 3. we can certainly do it - this is the unwaivering faith. I have never really studied the Old Testament, but I think this may be my new project. Also, he talked about Enoch who said these words, "Enoch walked with God, then he was no more, because God took him away."

Now, these are two people who I have not really studied about. From what I can find so far, Enoch is only referred to in the Bible 3 times - I could be wrong but this is what I have found so far. As far as Caleb is concerned, I have found that he was mentioned four times. (Again, this is a work in progress.) Anyway, regardless it seems that they were not mentioned very often, but yet they were powerful leaders. Caleb believed with all of his being that they could defeat the Canaanites. Enoch simply but powerfully "walked with God".

My prayer for this next week is that I can have the leadership of Caleb and the relationship of Enoch! Have a great week....

thankful thursday....

here is the list for this week---


1. one day till friday
2. my church cancelled the "camping trip" and instead decided on a lock in - it is cold you know - polar bears outside tapping on the windows
3. that my momma taught me how to keep my mouth shut - most of the time
4. i am going to perdido bay at the end of february for a "professional development"
5. that i have the most wonderful doctor - here on earth - that listens to me about my children - oldest has a knot on spine - not sure what it is - waiting on mri
6. chinese food - comfort comfort comfort
7. that my children are old enough to do most things for themselves - but i do miss them being little
8. determination - yep still on schedule with my menu planning
9. viruses only last a little while
10. again - that no one but God Almighty can see and hear the thoughts that sometimes run through my head
11. that my God is forgiving, understanding and has a sense of humor - hence the reason He still loves me

have a great week!

menu monday at 8:30 pm on monday

sorry for the delay but my family has had the bathroom marathon omg would you please kill me now it has to be better than this virus....get the picture...i tried to do this earlier today, but my stomach could not even think about thinking about food much less typing up a menu...so anyway, here goes...also be looking for another blog about what i got in the mail today..

monday - chicken soup with crackers - need i say anymore - thanks campbells

tuesday - easy skillet pork chops
4 pork chops
1 can cream of celery soup
1/4 cup apple juice or water
2 tlsp spicy brown mustard
1 tbsp honey
black pepper to taste
egg noodles

Spray 10" skillet with PAM and heat over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the chops and cook until the chops are well browned on both sides. Remove the chps and set them aside. Stir soup, apple juice or water, honey, mustard and black pepper into skillet. Heat to a boil. Return the chops to the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until chops are cooked thoroughly. Serve with egg noodles.

Add veg of choice.

Wednesday
What's Happening Wednesday at church - so probably fast food

Thursday
Paprika Chicken with Sour Cream Gravy
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp red pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 green onions (I don't think this is necessary since my hubby swears he is allergic to onions)
8 oz of sour cream
Stir the flour, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper and red pepper on a plate. Coat the chicken with the mixture. Heat the butter in a 10" skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken for 10 minutes or until it's well browned on both sides. Remove the chicken from the skillet. Stir the soup and onions in the skillet and heat to a boil. Return the chicken to the skillet. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the sour cream.

Friday
chicken nuggets and baked mac and cheese
1 can Cheddar Cheese Soup
1/2 soup can milk
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cups hot cooked corkscrew-shaped pasta OR medium shell-shaped pasta
1 tbsp. dry bread crumbs
2 tsp. butter, melted
Stir the soup, milk, black pepper and pasta in a 1-quart baking dish.
Stir the bread crumbs and butter in a small bowl. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the pasta mixture.
Bake at 400°F. for 20 minutes or until the pasta mixture is hot and bubbling.

So that is this week! Hope it helps some poor unorganized woman, mother, professional, counselor, and anything else one can think of person like me!

Menu Monday...

I am loving this cooking thing. The more I do it on a regular basis, the easier it gets..It is 11:43 pm and supper for Monday night is in the crock pot...so here goes

Monday - Golden Chicken with Noodles
2 cans cream of chick soup
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
one small bag of baby carrots
1 pack of boneless skinless chicken fingers (about 8 in a pack)
Mix first 4 ingredients together in crock pot
Add carrots and chicken
Cook on low of crock pot for 6 to 7 hours
Serve over egg noodles or rice

Tuesday - Whatever Casserole
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 bag (16 oz.) frozen vegetable combination, thawed
1 can (2.8 oz.) French fried onions (1 1/3 cups)
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Stir soup, sour cream, black pepper, vegetables, 2/3 cup onions and 1/4 cup cheese in 2-qt. casserole. Cover casserole.

Bake at 350°F. 40 min. or until vegetables are tender. Stir vegetable mixture.

Top with remaining onions and cheese. Bake 5 min. or until cheese is melted.


Wednesday - Eat at Church - thank goodness for Whatever Wednesdays

Thursday - Chicken Pie - I have not figured out how to link back to a previous post, but the recipe is listed in a post called "Yummy Yummy to My Family's Tummy"

Friday - Hamburgers with Mac & Cheese

I really hope this is helping somebody....this has made my life so much simpler. Now I just about died when I got the total at WalMart...but I am not accustomed to buying two weeks worth of groceries at one time. I am used to going to WalMart EVERYDAY! I am sure if I added up every trip I made to WalMart it would be in excess of the $400 I spent on New Years Day! But thanks to my blogging buddy, Hillary, I am investing in a Sam's card! Happy Cooking!

Beck help me on that linking thing!

Happy New Year...

Well another year has come and gone. So many things have happened this year! Let's see - I have been married 11 years, my children are still alive and DHR has not come to get them or me, my hubby has been at his job for 10 years, my daughter turned 17, my son is 9, I am working back in the nursing home or Living Centers as we now call them, I work 15 minutes from my home, I have gotten better at saying NO, I have rededicated myself to God, I have become a little more organized, hopefully 2009 will be very organized, I was only in the hospital 3 times this year for a total of 3 weeks...hey this is good for me...

What do I want to accomplish this year...well resolutions are no good for me because I will certainly fail...to lose weight is pointless...I am so much insulin that I swear I gain a pound a day...so instead, I am going to eat better - like one healthy meal a day - let's say breakfast - this is my hardest meal..I am going to cook at least 5 meals - supper - for my family - pay my bills on time, not lose my cool with my family - in other words have more tolerance

Now let's talk about tolerance - for those of you who know me very well you know that I don't have alot of patience much less tolerance - i.e. situation with Rhonda Fitts - anyway, I am trying to realize and accept that I am not responsible for ANYONE but myself and my children I am raising. I love my other family, but I cannot continue to let them drive me crazy. I will help whoever whenever I can, but the days of Ginny losing sleep over people who will not listen to me especially after they have asked me for help, having panic attacks because I am afraid that someone is going to be mad at me and the days of Ginny staying late at work just because I only live 15 minutes away are OVER!

I am looking forward to a great New Year! I am so thankful for the friends I have had for so many years. I am so thankful for the new friends I have met through blogging and I am thankful for those friends that I wll meet! Let's all have a great year!

menu monday - 1st edition

ok, after posting the menu blog i realized it was pretty long...so i am trying to shorten it...
just for the record, i have cooked two nights - now this may not sound like alot, but i follow the time line...i got my cookbook on christmas...cooked my first meal friday night after working all day...left for south alabama on saturday...got back sunday...and cooked tonight after working all day....so i have kept to my resolution...i made impossible taco pie which by the way rocks!!!!

the next menus may seem a repeat of what i posted originally, but i have rearranged the meals...so here goes

Monday - taco pie
Tuesday - corn dogs and fries
Wednesday - meat loaf and yellow rice casserole
Thursday - ranch pork chops, black eyed peans and greens (New Year's Day)
Friday - take out - it is payday

Recipes
taco pie - scramble hamburger meat with taco seasoning, put in square pyrex greased, mix 3/4 cup bisquick, 3 eggs and 1 1/4 cup milk together and pour over the meat - bake at 400 for 25 min, take out and put your regular taco toppings on it - delicious

yellow rice casserole - 1 box zatarins yellow rice, cooked, 1 can mexicorn and 1 cup cheese, mix cooked rice and corn together, dump in casserole dish, put cheese on top and bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted

ranch pork chops - 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
4 boneless pork chops, 3/4-inch thick
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 soup can milk
1 pkg. ranch salad dressing mix

Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook until it's well browned on both sides. Stir the soup, milk and 1/2 package salad dressing mix in the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the pork is cooked through.

sounds yummy to me....

i am hoping that some of my "stalkers" may leave me comments now that i am on this food kick!!!!!

random thoughts from the past week.....

i will warn you that this post may be a little lengthy, but i hope it will be read, make others think about some things in a different way and possibly make you laugh...if nothing else it gives you a little glimpse into what goes through my head, goes on in my life and what i long for....

as many of you know i work as the director of social services at a nursing home - that is what most people call it anyway - let me give you the newest politically correct name - living center - at first i thought this was odd...but i thought about it - it really is a living center - most people view "nursing homes" as a place to go and die...in some instances it is but more often than not it is a place that people have found themselves only because life has dealt them a bad hand...i have several residents who are under 55 and some over 100- many of them are pretty independent but just need some serious medical care...we had a christmas party for the residents on tuesday - santa and mrs clause came - thanks ralph and monta faye - those residents absolutely loved it - it brought back the magic of christmas - something they had long forgotten - it helped of course that santa played the accordion too...some of the other things we do are go out to lunch at cracker barrel, that is their favorite, a group of them like mexican so we go out to eat mexican sometimes, we have spa days - manicures and pedicures, aroma therapy, crafts - not coloring books - actually make stuff, movie days - old black and whites and modern movies...we have two weenie dogs, bubba joe and sissy lynn that live there...i say all this to say, i hope that people will begin to look at nursing homes, extended care facilities, skilled nursing facilities or whatever you call them as "LIVING CENTERS" not the death dorms...i am not about to say that we don't have some sad things that go on...yes we have hospice patients, we have some psych patients and we have some very young patients who are completely helpless...but that is not totally what we are all about...so if you find yourself looking for something to do in the new year either as a volunteer project, expanding your knowledge or teaching your children how to serve others...a LIVING CENTER is a great place to start.....

jacob is in boy scouts...this has been a wonderful experience for him and he has learned so much...we were at his pack christmas party and they had a visitor...santa...well on the way home jacob and i have this conversation:

jacob: momma, i don't know about this santa clause thing
me: what do you mean
jacob: well i am just a little confused
me: why
jacob: you mean to tell me we are nine days from christmas and santa stopped what he was doing at the north pole and came all the way to lincoln, alabama, to see some boy scouts
me: well jacob, i know that is hard to believe, but santa has helpers because i just don't think he could do it all by himself

it breaks my heart that the magic of christmas may soon be leaving my youngest...but i hope that when he does figure out the truth that he does not lose the excitement of christmas morning

jacob and aubie were watching a movie the other day and a little boy was making his christmas list on a sheet of paper...he ran out of room so he got another sheet of paper and stapled it to the first sheet and when he ran out of room on that sheet of paper he got another one and repeated the process...jacob said to aubie...you know that is a good idea...i think i will get me a scroll for my christmas list next year....

jamie has grown up into a young lady that i am so proud to say is my daughter...she is beautiful, thoughtful, tender hearted, caring and on and on i could go...both she and jacob have been around elderly people all of their lives because of the kind of work i do...jacob is okay with it in small amounts but jamie is the best about it...she went to work with me the day of the christmas party...she worked all day...she helped on the alzheimer's unit by ironing table cloths, setting the tables, making bows for the tables, coloring happy birthday signs for resident's doors, helped a resident wrap christmas presents for her grandchildren, fed the puppies, took pictures, handed out christmas gifts and cards, helped decorate the dining room to get ready for the party and so much more...at the end of the day she said, "momma, i won't ever fuss at you again when you say you are too tired to go to walmart"...i thought this was precious because she saw first hand that even on the very best days when things are fun...it is alot of work....jamie wants to be a nurse...i think she will be a great nurse...she has the background to know what it is like to be sick...she has had cancer, lost her hair, has only one kidney, has to follow a special diet, etc....i think she will find her niche of people to work with and they will be blessed to have her taking care of them...

if you let satan, he will steal your joy...i have never been really good at buying my family gifts...i can't ever seem to ever really find that "perfect" gift...or if i do they figure it out before they open it...well this year was no different as far as presents go...we will discuss the rest later...my mom had been talking that she wanted an electric stand alone mixer...well i knew momma would never buy one for herself...so i found one and was so excited...i had found the perfect gift for momma - besides this meant she could whip out those chocolate cakes faster...anyway i get it home and wrapped...well my sister comes out to my house and says, "what is that big box", and i tell her...she says, "daddy bought that for momma friday." i about fell out...first of all...those of you who know my dad know that he does not listen nor remember anything...or so we thought...he had heard momma say that and well the rest is history...i was so mad...well i ended up getting momma an outfit and the kids got her a gown...later on i told momma about what happened...she laughed and told me "it is better that it turned out this way...cause you know what kind of clothes i like...you buy them in the right size and you always get me the perfect gown" that made me feel better, but i thought, what are the odds that my dad would listen to somebody, would remember and then buy the very same thing....i guess miracles have not ceased....

speaking of telling people stuff...i had told my family that my new year's resolution was going to be to cook better for my family - not necessarily cook better as in healthy but being better about cooking supper - well they took me seriously...i got a 5 qt tfal skillet, a bagel / bread toaster and a new cookbook...i was real excited about the cookbook because it is one i have been wanting....

finally, i told a friend of mine that somewhere in my mind i have a norman rockwell nostalgic idea of what christmas should be like or what i want it to be like...it has never been this way and i doubt it ever will be...but there are little pieces of it that i can pull out and make happen...one part of that is sending christmas cards...i sent out many cards, but there were so many more i wanted to send...i did not send them because i did not have addresses..so if you are reading this and i don't have your address please send it to me...even if you are a cyber friend i would love to be able to drop you a card in the mail throughout the year - this is something small that i really like to do...

i guess that is enough for now - aside from the fact it is 230 in the AM...just had some quiet time and wanted to blog...it is therapeutic...love to all and blessings for the new year

yummy yummmy to my family's tummy...

i got an awesome cookbook for christmas so tonight i made a recipe from it...chicken pie...the cookbook is called georgia cooking from an oklahoma kitchen - trisha yearwood's family cookbook - it was soooooooooo good and soooooooooooo easy...

2 cups of shredded chicken
2 cups of chicken broth
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of cream of celery soup
1 cup of self rising flour
1 stick butter - melted
1 cup of buttermilk

cook the chicken and set aside

in a boiler mix the liquids and bring to a boil

pour mixture over chicken in 2 qt casserole dish

mix flour butter and buttermilk together and pour over chicken mixture - even it out but do not stir

bake at 425 for 45 minutes


mmmmmmmmm good....even jacob ate it...

i hope everyone had a merry christmas...my new year's resolution is to cook better for my family...by this i mean to simply cook...usually it is throwing something together...i usually end up cooking the same things over and again...tacos, spaghetti, hot dogs, etc...

so in an effort to "get organized" -becky don't faint - i am putting together monthly menus with recipes and grocery lists - let's see how this works...if it works i may post a weeks menu and grocery list...maybe it will help some other poor momma who is trying to keep everything going that we have to....

why is it?

why is it that when you make a concerted effort to do what is right...you mess up even worse? i have never been a big fan of the holidays until i had children...i do not get excited about christmas except for the meaning behind it and watching my children open their presents...i don't really enjoy christmas shopping for my family...for my friends i love it but fam no...i guess i have this nostalgic view of what i want christmas to be like in my family...well it never has been that way and i guess it never will be...case in point...i thought that when i got older my mom, sister and myself would go shopping for my dad's presents and my dad, my sister and myself would go shopping for my mom's gifts...well i guess i don't count because my mom and my sister went and my dad and my sister went...all the while i am working...i feel like the only person on this plot of land out here who actually has any responsibility...to top it all off i found the perfect present for my mom which is not easy...only to find out that my dad had already bought it for her...i seriously think i am going to spend next christmas in the soup kitchen serving those people who truly appreciate the meaning of the season...i know i sound bah humbugish right now, but that flew all over me...let's not mention the fact that on their shopping trip today they told me they were not going to get lunch...this is after i have asked them to come eat lunch with me...you know the one who is working...well they call to tell me they are on their way home and ARE STUFFED...they had just eaten at chili's!!!!!!!!!!!! why is it that this makes me mad? i just feel like i do not fit into anyone's schedule and no one wants to do anything with me...call it a pity party if you want but i am having it!!!!!!!!!

Jamie's 17th Birthday

We had Jamie's 17th birthday party Friday night. I cannot believe she is that old - this time next year I will be getting ready for her to graduate. For those of you who don't know our story - here is the Readers Digest condensed version. I met her dad on January 2, 1997, at a mutual friend's apartment. I was working 3rd shift at the local ER and just wanted to go get something to eat before I went to work. Well everybody started backing out. I was irritated and said, "Look, I am going to get something to eat, if anybody wants to go come on!" Well the only person that showed up was Stephen, my hubby. I have often told people that I fell in love with Jamie before I fell in love with Stephen - and that is the honest truth. We got married in August of that year. I became a wife, a parent and preacher's wife all in a matter of 8 months! I would not change anything! Jamie is my daughter that I always wanted. I was told many times that I would not have children, and so I was okay with that. God blessed me with this beautiful daughter. I have watched her grow up into a beautiful young lady that has a heart of gold. Jamie had finished her last round of chemotherapy right before Stephen and I met. She had lost all of her hair, but she had not lost that gorgeous smile! I remember she would take my afghan and wrap around her head and tie it back with a ponytail holder. This was her hair. I remember Stephen sitting on the side of the bed sewing up her Barbie gown with matching pink thread - I was impressed! I remember the first night I met her at McDonald's in Troy. She was wearing a 101 Dalmations sweatsuit. Becky and I had gone to WalMart to buy her some 101 Dalmations coloring books and wrapped it in matching paper. I remember we were playing in the ball pit and I got out to get one. When I bent over she kicked me square in the rear end. I remember the first day of Kindergarden at W.O. Parmer - or as Jamie said, "W.O. Farmer." She wore this outifit that was pink, white and mint green check with little ducks on it. She walked down the sidewalk with her lunchbox, turned around, waved and said, "You can go Momma." Then there was the time she had gotten in trouble at school for trading penicls - oh my isn't that the cardinal sin" anyway the principal asked her where her mom worked because she was going to "call her and tell her what you have done." Jamie said, "The Princess House." The principal got real mad. The funny thing is I was selling Princess House crystal at the time. I remember the first time she let me fix a "boo boo". That had always been Daddy's job. We have had so many "I remembers" and I hope there are many more to come. Jamie if you read this I hope you know how much I love you! You are my sweet angel!




Jamie, Austin & Katie with her presents and cake! Katie & Jamie Thanks Aubie & Poppa Jamie's Birthday Cake - homemade red velvet - it fell over in the car - thanks aubie! Jamie & Jacob with Foxxy

my 8

8 TV shows I watch:
1. Intervention
2. Clean House
3. CSI
4. Law & Order: SVU
5. Biography
6. Sanford & Son
7. The Andy Griffin show
8. The Comedy Channel

8 Favorite Restaurants:
1. PF Changs
2. Superior Grill
3. The Great Wall
4. chic-fil-a
5. steak out
6. logans
7. El Cazadore
8. O'Carr's

8 Things that happened this week:
1. went to the doc
2. had a mri
3. found out my s1 is fractured - yes that is a result of me flying out the front door
4. had a nerve block - thank God for modern medicine and pain meds
5. did some christmas shopping
6. played one of santa's elves to some unsuspecting people
7. cleaned house - a little
8. most importantly - rededicated myself to Jesus

8 Things I look forward to:
1. Christmas day - seeing my kids open presents
2. seeing my niece Hannah
3. sleep precious sleep
4. when my house is clean
5. getting the rest of the floors down
6. jamie getting her permit
7. kids christmas break - no getting them up early
8. each new day

8 Things I wish for/pray for:
1. to be a good momma, wife, friend - much better than i have been
2. for my children to become Christians
3. a cure for cancer
4. peace in my extended family
5. my sister to get clean
6. that no parent should ever lose a child. i just don't get it. it tears me up inside even for people i have never met. - i am copying becky on this one and the last two
7. for my children to be healthy
8. to have a home in Heaven

8 people I tag:
i don't really have 8 bloggers to tag but here goes...
1. amy
2. allison
3. anyone else who wants to

thankful thursday...

ok so as i have always said, "failure is never final unless it is the last time you try"..so one day i will be consistent with doing a weekly thankful thursday post...here goes

1. i am thankful for modern technology...after a long day in many offices at various medical wonderlands called hospitals...i do have ANOTHER kidney stone.

2. i am thankful for pain medicine - if you have ever had a stone you know what i mean

3. i am thankful for my children - jamie will be 17 years old tomorrow

4. i am thankful for this time of year - it makes me take stock of all of my blessings - especially those that i have not been so mindful of in the past

5. i am thankful that although i have multiple health problems, i am still able to work

7. i am thankful that my children are pretty much old enough to fix their own food in the event mom is otherwise occupied - i.e with a kidney stone

8. i am thankful that one day there will be no more hurt, aches, sadness or illness...we will all be in that promise land of eternal peace and joy

9. i am thankful that i have friends that although they may not hear from me everyday, they are always there for me...i hope they can say the same thing about me

10. i am thankful that i have made it to number 10, this still makes sense and i am under the influence of some major pain medications...i will try again next thursday when i am not intoxicated....

the past week...

nothing real exciting has happened this past week...really the same routine as usual...however, i did get my christmas tree up, a new floor in my den, one cat given away, my office half way clean...and managed not to kill anyone...that is a joke...my dad is on his way home from one of his many gypsy trips, my kids are ready for christmas break, i have a very dear friend in need of everyone's prayers...you know who you are...i got to spend the afternoon with another good friend by her fireplace and looking at her christmas tree...i did find these great pics of my daughter... i think she is the most awesome girl in the world...have a great week....