Baby Bump

Just to update you, Maria is busily growing grandaughter #2.  I think she is beautiful wearing that baby bump, don't you?

Little Flower Girl

Yesterday I picked up Cordelia and brought her home to garden with me.  What a pretty little helper she was!  She really likes flowers and she really, really likes digging in the dirt.

I presented her with a pair of Dora the Explorer garden gloves but her Mom told me Cordelia specifically chose the rest of the outfit for her morning with Grandma.

I'd made the little dress she was wearing.  

She added the necklace and the hat made by her Mom.  Cordy fretted a bit on the way over because she realized she should have worn her garden hat.  She told me little kids shouldn't get sunburns on their heads.  I assured her the blue hat would help prevent that.

After we'd planted flowers and watered them, Cordy wanted to sort and stack the empties a bit.

Back at her house she asked me to take a picture of her smiling.  

I enjoyed a lovely lunch with Mike and later got to pick Bode up from the vet.  He was sooooo happy to see me!  He was all bouncy and happy but he kind of pooped out on the ride home.

He's doing well, though.

It was a lovely day, all in all.

I hope you all are having a nice start to June.

Get Well Mr. Wiggles!

Bode spent the  night at the doggy hospital.  He's got some kind of infection and he needed fluids as well as antibiotics.  I am hoping he gets to come home today.  Is it weird that I prayed that he wouldn't be too scared?

I have to say that our house was rather quiet last night.  No one wiggled at the top of the stairs when I came home.  Of course, we also didn't have to set something heavy on the lid to the garbage just to keep him from "snacking".  We didn't have to put the baby gate at the stairs to keep him from running downstairs to chase the cats either.  Nevertheless, I missed him, the big dumb goof.

I took this picture recently, on a day when he was feeling better.  He'd just pulled one of his naughty tricks of dragging his bedding out of his kennel.  I wouldn't mind but when he does that he then chews on it.  Oddly, he never chews on it within the kennel.



Just look at that face, though.

Doesn't he look guilty?

Feel better, Mr. Wiggles.

Healthy But Dead

So...

I was once reading through a patient's chart and I came upon a line that made me burst out loud with laughter.  I was reading the doctor's notes that stated the patient's parents were "deceased but relatively healthy."

Relative to what?!

I was just thinking about that and thought maybe you could enjoy a chuckle as well.

And as long as we are on the subject, what do you think of this tombstone we saw last week?  It seemed a bit out of place.  It was on the grave of a middle-aged man.  I bet there is a story there, don't you?

My Mom's Retreat Center

Bode was up waaaaaaay too early this morning.  I think he was having some tummy trouble but I think he is fine now.  Although I had my alarm set for 5:45 today, he had me up long before that.  I am not pleased, but it did give me plenty of time to work on my post, huh?

Have I mentioned how amazing my mother is?

My Mom bought an empty lot several years ago with the intention of having a house moved to it.  While she waited for her house, though, she had a playhouse from her old property moved there.  Sometimes she'd go over in the evening and sit outside her little playhouse for awhile, likely planning how to turn an empty piece of prairie into a park-like yard.  The thing that makes me laugh is that little kids in the neighborhood thought that little playhouse was her home!

Mom is an artist and can make a beautiful home out of just about anything.  I know this because I've seen her do it over and over again.  This little playhouse was originally built for grandkids but Mom went way above and beyond with it.  The interior is decorated beautifully!

It even has a porch!

Cordelia, like all the grandkids and great-grandkids, was entranced by it.  She loved going out to the little house with my Mom.  I loved looking around Mom's yard.

This is just a shed, but she made it so cute!

She's sprinkled such sweet touches around her yard. 

 Really, in just a few years she made this out of a dry chunk of prairie on the 

edge of a very ordinary neighborhood. 

I do not have the green thumb so I am constantly amazed by her!

 Beautiful, isn't it?

For the record, her real house is beautiful as well, but she still likes to sit out by the little house.

It's her own little retreat center.

(In the spirit of full disclosure, the two photos where Cordelia is wearing the pink tutu were taken last year.)

I Will Praise You in this Storm

I Will Praise You in This Storm

by Casting Crowns

Meet the Bloggers

I've taken to preparing posts ahead of time for when I am scheduled to work long shifts at hospice.  This is one of those posts.  I hope you are all having a lovely week-end, maybe laying around reading a good book and sipping on lemonade, while I am slaving away.  Sorry.  Putting people on little guilt trips just comes naturally to me.  The honest truth is I had several days off in the middle of the week while you were likely slaving away.  This post reflects on one of those days.

We are a bloggy bunch, me and my relatives.  Maria (daughter) has been blogging daily for years.  I was perplexed when she first started blogging.  Why would anyone do that?  Why would anyone want to give themselves a writing assignment every day?  And isn't it like writing a diary?  That's something you should hide under your mattress, not put out for the world to read!

Well, apparently we are a writing bunch of relatives as many of us have followed in Maria's footsteps.  When we were at the cemetery the other day four of us were together.

Maria, Me, my Aunt Michelle, My Cousin Anne Marie

Cordelia doesn't blog - YET!

Maria's blog is Little Things are Big.  She has been writing in it for years.  

I love reading it!  

She writes well and I enjoy seeing the world through her eyes.  

She finds beauty just about everywhere. 

My Aunt Michelle writes A Wyoming Woman's Thoughts.  Anne Marie writes Bits & Pieces.  

I'd encourage you to check them out as well.  They both write about family and living in Wyoming.  

They also have some great photos!   

When we left the cemetery that day we went on to have lunch with my sister.  

Guess what!?  She's a long-time blogger writing Living With Cerebral Palsy.  Her blog helps connect people who are handicapped.  It is also great for anyone who wants to better understand how a handicapped person deals with obstacles and overcomes adversity.  You will learn about real courage there!

So, if you have some time, know that you are invited and welcome to stop by their blogs as well.  Maybe you will figure out what's wrong with us; why do we impose writing assignments on ourselves?

Joining in on 5 Question Friday

One of the blogs I enjoy reading is My Little Life.  On Fridays there I see the 5 Question Friday link up.  I always think, "Someday I will try that!"  So, today I am going to give it a try.  It's a blog hop!

If you don't know what a blog hop is, read this definition directly from the Linky folks:

"What is a blog hop? A blog hop is a linky list that is SHARED ON MULTIPLE BLOGS. When several blogs put the same linky list code on their blog, the exact same list appears on each blog. Blog visitors can submit their entries on any blog that contains the list. The entries will appear on each blog where the list resides. Blog readers see the same list on each blog, and can "HOP" from blog to blog seeing the same list of links to follow: BLOG HOP!"

If you have a blog and want to join in, here are the rules for 5 Question Friday (5QF):

"Rules for 5QF: Copy and paste the following questions to your blog post, answer them, then watch for the linky post to appear Friday morning and LINK UP!"  

Here are the questions as well as my answers.  Even if you don't have a post, you can answer the questions in my comments section if you'd like!

1. What were you scared of as a kid?
     I remember that I was pretty frightened by rattle snakes.  We lived near a place called Rattle Snake Hill for awhile and we saw plenty of them.  Even after we moved from there I had scary rattle snake dreams for years, even into adulthood!

2. Do you sleep well in a hotel?
     I absolutely LOVE sleeping in a hotel!  Really, I love it.  I admit that all the stories about bedbugs has been a bit off-putting but I still love it.  I don't know that I really sleep all that well but even when I wake up in the night, I enjoy just knowing that I'm waking up in a hotel, a place where I am not in charge of making the beds, doing dishes, etc.  OK, sometimes I still make the beds but it just looks nice that way.  I don't want the maids to think we are pigs.



3. If you could meet any celebrity, dead or alive, who and why?
     I long wanted to meet John Denver.  My husband was a big fan of John Denver music so I paid attention to him as well.  Listening to his music, I started thinking that John Denver was searching for something, some kind of forgiveness and peace.  I thought we could point him in the right direction for that.  I wanted to bring him home for dinner and let he and Mike get to know each other.  Maybe Mike could have counseled he and Annie and they could have stayed together, filling up each other's senses with sunshine all over their shoulders in the Rocky Mountains... HIGH in the Rocky Mountains.



4. It's a hot summer day. Do you prefer to be pool side or at the beach?
     Absolutely the beach!  I enjoy a nice pool and love the smell of chlorine (not kidding), but watching the power and the beauty of a natural body of water is by far my preference... the bigger the body of water, the better!  Take me to the ocean any day!

5. What is your favorite summer dish?
     No particular "dish" came to mind but a fresh, juicy peach makes me all happy!  I don't want an imposter peach!  You know what I mean, the kind that look delicious, maybe even have lots of juice, but no flavor.  Nope.  I want one that is sweet AND juicy AND pretty.  I want to eat it while sitting on a wrap-around porch with the juice running down my arm.  By the way?  Do you eat the skin on peaches?  Not for me.  I tried and tried because I think that seems all mother earthy but I just don't like the fuzz. 


There!  I finally joined up for 5 Question Friday and I'm kind of proud of myself!  Join me if you'd like, or just click on some of the other blogs in the list.  Have fun!

Good-Bye Talking

Yesterday Maria and Cordelia and I drove to the town where my Mom lives.  After picking her up we met my aunt and one of my cousins at the cemetery.  You see, they are the designated family grave decorators for Memorial Day and we had been invited to go help pick up the flowers with them.  I was happy to go as I didn't really know where all the family grave sites were.

It's a sad thing, to go to a cemetery and see names of people you love and miss.  I know my people are not really there but sometimes I think it is good to have a place to visit, a place to remember.   There is something kind of peaceful about feeling that connection to the generations over time.  I don't really know how to put it into words but I think it gives a sweet perspective.

Even among the living, we had a generations thing going on.  We were blessed to have my Grandma Rose for the first year of Cordelia's life and we had a five generations of women photo then.  We are down to just four generations now but I realize we are still truly blessed.  This photo shows Cordelia surrounded by her Great-Grandma Grace, Grandma Sue (me) and her mother, Maria.

OK, as long as I am showing you a photo of my Mom, I should clear something up.  Yesterday I showed a photo of her laughing.  Behind her are lots of alcohol bottles.  For the record, I took that photo at a Mother's Day Brunch and the bottles were not her's.  She was just drinking water.  There.  I straightened that out.  Happy, Mom?  

 When we were finished we were all standing around by the cars, visiting before we went our separate ways.  It was then that Cordelia said something that showed unusual perception for a child of just 2 1/2.  She said, "Mommy, are we good-bye talking?"

Genetic Laughter Seizure Syndrome

We have a serious disorder that runs in our family.  I simply can't conceal it any longer.  I am thinking of organizing some kind of fundraiser or applying for a grant to support research as little is known about this disorder.  Maybe our daughter-in-law, Sara, will head up the research.  Of course, I will have to ask her to stop her present research looking for genes associated with liver cancer and such.  I'm sure she won't mind as she realizes the severity of our condition.

You see, there is little known of this syndrome that runs in our family.  It seems to affect the females more than the males.  I am guessing it is caused by some as yet unknown mutation.  Perhaps it began with my mother as she is the first one I've known to suffer extensively from this.

She passed it on to me.  

I passed it on to Maria.

I am sorry to report that Cordelia even shows early signs of it.

This dreadful Genetic Laughter Syndrome causes out-of-control attacks of laughter.  You might even say we have laughter seizures.  These attacks often begin with little or no warning.  We don't usually even get an aura as some do before a migraine attack.  We might even be in a formal or serious situation when it occurs.  It can be completely distressing and socially unacceptable.

Occasionally we cause quite a scene as people around us may think we are sobbing.

Physically these attacks can be gravely dangerous.  It becomes difficult to breathe!  Drooling is a serious risk.  Because of that risk, it is advisable to cover our mouths with our hands.

As people begin to stare it seems to increase the intensity of the seizure.    

Even as the laughter seizure begins to resolve, there is an extended period of recovery before we reach full functionality again.   Often there are tears to be wiped.

It takes time to regain composure.  A period of total and complete exhaustion sets in.  It really is utterly dreadful but we do not seek your pity, only your understanding.

Please watch for future fundraising events to help find the cure for this Genetic Laughter Seizure Syndrome (GLSS).  We simply must seek the cause so that a cure can be found.  If you are interested in organizing your own events on our behalf, such as a walk-a-thon or a bake sale, please contact me.  I thank you in advance for your care and concern.

Peanut Butter and Banana Paninis for Dinner

Well, hello there.  I did get a bit of sleep yesterday morning but I am simply not a good day sleeper.  I am grateful that I don't usually have to work 2 nights in a row as it takes a bit of recovery time for me.

Our daughter, Maria, came over late in the day.  Our son-in-law, Eric, as well as sweet Cordelia and their dog Bumblebee completed the party.

I made a strange meal.  The roasted ears of corn, fresh pineapple and other side dishes weren't that weird but I grilled paninis made with peanut butter, bananas and bacon bits (vegan).

This was not my own idea.  When we were in North Carolina last week, eating at Otis and Parker (or was it Parker and Otis?) I saw this on the menu.  In fact, Sara ordered it without the bacon.  I realized many bacon bits are vegan so I just went with that idea for serving to my vegan loved ones.

It probably won't go on my list of favorite foods but it was unusual and tasty so I wasn't disappointed.

After our meal we played a couple of games of Farkle.  Do any of you play Farkle?  We enjoy it, even though it gets crazy silly playing with Mike and Eric.  While we played, Cordelia and her new Dora Doll watched Dora the Explorer on Netflix.  Cordelia was VERY focused.

I was calling her name but she wasn't hearing me.

She settled in for more comfortable viewing.

As the Farkleing carried on, Sam entertained Cordy with some bubbles.

Bode was helpful.

Bumblebee chose to relax on the deck.

It was a nice evening, after which I went to bed and slept for 10 hours!

Something to Ponder

Last night I had to work for 12+ hours.  I really don't enjoy staying up all night but it has it's good points  For one thing, it is often a bit quieter.   For another, when I work nights I feel like a martyr and when I come home our bed is like my delightful reward.    

However, working nights leaves me rather dull, though.  So, today I am sharing some words that I find a bit inspiring.  They are placed above one of the windows in the Hospice House where I work and I really like them.  Do you?

Have a happy day!

Explaining Your Neighbor's Actions in the Kindest Way Possible

 I want to talk about Martin Luther for a minute.  Nope, I don't mean Martin Luther King, Jr.  I mean Martin Luther who was a theologian and reformer in the 1500's.  

Actually, this post is not so much about him but it is about one of the things I learned from his teaching.  He was an interesting guy and an important historical figure.  He certainly was not perfect but he was passionate about making the gospel available to everyone.  During a time in history when the average person didn't have access to a Bible, Martin Luther helped by producing crib notes.  OK, not really but Luther's Small Catechism is kind of like that.  

On to what's on my mind...

In Luther's Small Catechism there is a part that comes to my mind often, sometimes really often.  The part I am referring to is his explanation of the 8th Commandment, the one that tells us we aren't supposed to lie (bear false witness) about our neighbors.  Biblically, a neighbor is pretty much anyone around you.  I think we all know that lying isn't right.  Luther, however, goes on to say we should not just refrain from lies but we should also explain our neighbor's actions in the kindest way possible.  What?  That's asking a lot!

Explaining your neighbor's actions in the kindest way possible is very difficult and perhaps goes against my very nature.  My first instinct might be to point out my neighbor's flaws, maybe hoping it will make me look better by comparison.  Of course that doesn't really work but still, it is a human tendency.  

I have noticed, though, that when I start making myself at least try to explain someone's bad behavior in the kindest way possible, I become less judgmental.  I start to understand them just a bit.  For example, I might notice that the young woman who was just a bit pushy has 4 little kids tugging on her.  Or perhaps the gentleman that scowled at me had a tummy ache.  Maybe the teenager who was rude had just broken up with her boyfriend.  See?  It's not that hard when you give it a go.  Be creative!

Probably you all do this all the time anyway, and the problem is mine alone.  In a world where we are made to believe we should fight for our rights, push our way to the top, teach them a lesson, stand strong against opposition, etc.  I am glad for a reminder from the 1500's of a different way to go through this life.  I want to try to be better at explaining my neighbor's actions in the kindest way possible.

North Carolina - Day 4

Monday was to be our last full day in North Carolina.  Ben and Sara had to work so we asked Sara to drop us off at her Park 'N Ride.  She sweetly stayed with us until we were securely on our bus heading for downtown Raleigh.  Mike and I both enjoy visiting historical parts of cities so we decided to make a day of it.

The first place we toured was the State Capital.  It turns out that most of the business of the state is now done in a nearby legislative building but the governor's office is still in the capital.  The rest of the building is kind of like a museum.  It was smaller than any capital I've toured but it certainly had a lot more history than capitals in the West.

You won't see a monument like this one in Wyoming!

From there we went to tour the legislative building.

It was a big, open building with a crisp, clean feel to it.  It was pretty and much more functional.

The Capital and Legislative Building are the top and bottom anchors to a big open square.  The sides of the square are the North Carolina Natural History Museum and the North Carolina Museum of History.  We also watched a movie, "Space Junk".  It was about all the garbage, such as old satellites, floating around in space.  It was quite interesting but it was dark and we were sitting still with 3-D glasses on.  There may or may not have been some napping.

We enjoyed the time together being tourists.

 Ben and Sara took us to downtown Durham where we enjoyed a nice dinner, followed by a stroll through an old tobacco plant now converted into offices, shops and restaurants. 

This last photo was taken not far from where we parked.  

It's kind of cool, huh?

So, we found North Carolina to be a really pretty state with a lot of history and character.  

It was a nice trip and we were so very glad to get to spend time with Ben and Sara.