Checking in . . . .

3000 miles in 14 days (10 of them travel days), many hours sitting by the window, very little conversation, some eye contact, to many meals in the hospital cafeteria, play time with daddy which just exasperates mama, lots of word finds, a couple of books, blowing up blue gloves to make balloons cuz today is Cindy’s birthday, miles of walking the halls, to and from the parking garage, doctors (my goodness the doctors, specialist, nurses, beginner doctors, intermediate doctors, residents), words and body parts and treatments, tests, cats cans, MRI’s, x-rays, needles, blood, huge machines, mostly great people, wonderful cleaning lady. And in-between all of that there’s daycare, family, my garden, house, yard, mama and daddy’s house, yard, farm animals, bus driving and some sort of regular life….well no not really, no life right now. But there was 3 days in all of this that Cindy was able to sit up and talk, make some sense and even smile and lots of “do you remembers”. Now tomorrow is “THE” care conference to decide how much longer, how much more do we do, does Cindy take before the end arrives. Today is the day I fill out the cremation paperwork. I have to plan my sisters funeral. I’m not alone,my mama is doing her best but can you imagine having to see your daughter going though all of this just about every day, cleaning out her living home, and helping arrange her funeral. And daddy, his daughter-his favorite love of his life daughter (and no it doesn’t bother me, he loves me too…just differently) is going home to the Lord and he won’t have her to love and hold and get mad at and laugh with and bug and help and just sit and have coffee with . . it’s unreal to him. Remember he’s got some head troubles we are dealing with too and in fact next Thursday we go to a neurologist for some testing. We’ll just say that July 2013 is not a month I want to ever have to do over again, and it’s not over and neither is tomorrows meeting.

I do have a word of warning or a message of love for anyone that has signed the Advance Directives for a persons life. It’s not to be taken lightly at all because everyone is looking to you for questions, answers, decisions, reasons and life’s lessons. You have to take the person you are director of, the doctors, the family all in to consideration when you are making decisions for someone that can’t. It is hard on the heart and the head, the body and soul but also an honor because Cindy trusts me with all her heart and soul to take care of her here and the after. She will be in the Lords hands when the time comes.

I just wanted to check in. I haven’t a clue when I can again, I just happen to have a little bit this morning before daycare gets here.

I hope that your July is calm and filled with summer fun and love. Mine has the love and we will be strong and get pass all of this and learn and grow and relive the joyest moments. We aren’t sure this is the end, only the Lord knows that, but we will just take it all a day at a time and see where life or death leads us.

Take care my friends.

I haven’t forgotten any of you….

I haven't really. This summer month has not turned out the way I had envisioned at all. I had wanted to go camping, a bit of fishing and hiking and just relaxing enjoying the summer that is never long enough but God seems to have other plans and of course I will follow them and maybe with luck we will have a really long wonderfully nice fall.

My sister was admitted to the UofM last Thursday and we have lived down there (well really we travel almost daily the 290 miles back and forth) for the past week and the 6 days before that at the Crosby hospital. She fell and hurt her neck and though that's not what her issues are now it was the start of the end. Today we are going to the cities to figure out the end of life things. On Saturday they had her almost in the grave but she has rallied a bit so not sure when but do know that life isn't easy. No kidneys, no liver, not much lungs, no stomach and the rest too. And to top all of this off, my mama sister had her 3rd heart attack yesterday so after the Cindy visit we'll be doing a Pat visit.

We know the Lord doesn't give us more than we can carry but I truly believe he pushes and pushes us to the limit and beyond.

I will be back when things calm down. I did take yesterday off from the hospital stuff and took my daycare kids 150 miles away from it all to Lake Superior for a day of sunshine and fun and relaxing. It was a must for me so that I can be ready for today.

Here’s a couple picture of yesterday just to relax by. Take care my friends and even though I haven’t stopped by I do think about you and hope that life is treating you wonderfully and that you are enjoy our beautiful summer.

Blessings!

                                       

Cindy….

How does one thing lead into another and another and another and not even be related? On Sunday we took Cindy to the ER because she fell and hit her head and was having neck, back and muscle spasms in her arm. On Monday she really looked good, Tuesday she couldn’t understand anything and Tuesday evening they put her in ICU because her ammonia levels rose beyond dangerous. It’s from her diabetes and because she wasn’t feeling good had spiked up at 600 and when they got it down she sorta ferments in the belly and the ammonia levels rise. They got that fixed and then next thing we know she’s throwing up and passing blood and they rush her to the cities to the UofM. So we hop in the suburban and get our butts down there (I took my mama and daddy down) and we sit there for 6 hours waiting and waiting to see if they can find out what’s up. We answer more question that I even thought I knew about Cindy and her medical history and such and when we left (we came home, motels and such are way beyond our price limits plus we all have animals that need our attention so easier to drive home and head out again in an hour) they still have more cats cans, MRI’s, surgeons on call, tests, x-rays to do to find out what is wrong with her. UGH!!!! Cindy has gone through so much and it looks like there’s much more to go through. And my parents, I just can’t imagine going to bed at night and not knowing if you’ll have one or two daughters in the morning. And me, the stress of trying to handle it all and take care of mama and daddy and still do things I have to do. I took today off to take them down but I can’t tomorrow, I can’t go another day without pay so am going to drive bus tomorrow and we’ll drive the next 290 miles again on Saturday. But right now, I day at a time. Really first some breakfast. We don’t eat while down there so will pack a lunch for us all and try and be home by 9-10 tonight so a big breakfast is needed however it’s really hard to eat when life is up in the air.

I just wanted to update you on what’s what and ask you to keep praying for Cindy and the family. We aren’t sure what to expect when we get down there, yes we can call but the doctors and nurses said they won’t know anything until noon time at the earliest so might as well just talk to them in person and if they need more permission for whatever or something had happened they would of called me or daddy.

Thank you my friends.

We’re hoping for a few of these today!

1:00am….

That’s the time I got back from the hospital this morning. My sister is in there again but this time for such a different reason. She fell out of her camper a few days ago (remember she’s very ill and has one artificial leg and 1/2 foot) and hit a popular tree with her head. The trees okay but she’s not. They really aren’t sure what’s up yet but think something with her neck and spine. I admitted her at 5:00 last night and after 2 cat scans, many blood tests and waiting, my goodness the waiting, they don’t know anything so kept her because of the seizures in her neck and arm and she isn’t able to take care of herself. MRI’s today and I’m sure more blood work and PT and ??? I have a houseful of kids so can’t be there right away but have family and friends that will watch the kids so I can go if I need too. I’m Cindy’s life director and more so they need me there for the important stuff though they can call if they have too.

So please prayers for my sister. Her life is so difficult and though a lot of it is early life living some of it’s just plain hard.

I have lots to share in a day or two but for now family and kids. Take care my friends. Have an awesome day!

I love my sunsets….

 

Cute tote….

While surfing around on the Instructables website I found a really cute tote that the girls could make today. It’s a no sew but once done you can’t tell it isn’t sewed when you look up close. It’s waterproof and almost indestructible. I made something in a small pouch for the boy scouts 1st aide kits a long time about with the same idea.

So see what the girls made…fabric, scissors, staplers and duct tape…

 

As you can tell from the smiles they had a great time and now have a bag to … well I don’t know what they are going to do with theirs but I’m going to use mine for a lunch bag.

Hope you’re having a great day. We are off to our local county fair. Of course I’m sure there will be pictures to share.

It’s Sally’s b-day shortly….

And while Kim and I were out a couple Saturdays ago flea marketing I found a really cool elephant bracelet that was missing an elephant. Not a big deal, a dollar later I owned it and made it into this for Sally and I made her another necklace too out of tin, scrapbook paper, decoupage, a metal stamp and rivets.

  I had to share that I’ve done some crafting. I am in the process of making another metal heart necklace. I want to make a few for our upcoming craft show in August. I also have a bunch of goodies I got at the flea market I shared with you a bit ago that I’m going to make into a few more rustic different pieces of jewelry. Just something different to see what people are into now and that I can afford to make and the market we sell to can afford to buy.

Anyways, just sharing. Take care my friends.

Good Monday….

First thing, I made the 1000 mile mark this weekend. 500 miles to go and 6 months to do it in. YEAH!!! I will make my goal and maybe a bit more. Hey, have you met Marc? This man is amazing and he too has set a goal for his walking and just the other day made a huge goal and did an awesome post about it. Check him out when you have a few minutes. I love reading his blog and his thoughts. P.S. another little tid bit, I am back into the 180’s. Pushing the top but still back there. 10 more lbs to go to make the goal I set for the summer. 180 by August 25th. Deb my partner in crime has made it way into the 180’s now, she has the same goals as I do. It is awesome to have a partner doing this with me. And Allan is right here beside me giving me the menus and cues I need to get it right and stay right.

So what have I been up to? Well you know me pretty well to know it’s all in pictures so I am just going to do the pictures and captions and any extra little words I want to add. I love going back and seeing what’s happened and what’s going on so that’s a big reason I do all my blogging and pictures. I don’t scrapbook but I don’t have to when I do this. Anyways, here it goes…..

It’s rhubarb season. Really for me it’s all year long cuz I keep it from going to seed and I am always picking it. But this past week I put up 5 gallons of it so that I can add it to the apples I get this fall and make some wonderful apple/rhubarb sauce.

The camper is coming along nicely. It now has the generator and an A/C unit and are now working on the bench seats and wiring.

We have new baby chicks that my chickens have hatched out. Just two so far but a start. I feel so sorry for the mama’s on the nest right now. It’s so hot in the coop but they seems to be okay. I do give them a little water and feed to help them even though I know they sneak off once in awhile too.

 

 

 

I took the kids to Crosslake for Big Fun Tuesdays. It’s a game time in the park and local business for kids and adults. We had a great time but by time we left Abby (the little girl on the fishes tail) wasn’t feeling good so a quick pose for me and home we went. As you can see I wore someone out. Love doing that.

 

 

As you know I went to Fergus Falls to spend the 4th with Mike. I got down there just before he was done for work. This is a tractor he’s working on. They feel confident enough to have gave him his own bay and lots and lots of work. He is really enjoying his job and it sure makes the mama’s life so much easier not worrying about him as much. I am so proud of Mike for going and doing and becoming really what he wanted. He goes to JDU in October to learn electronic stuff and is excited to be able to add more to his list of can do’s.

Mike’s work place. Want a little history? In the early 30’s to the late 1950’s Mike’s gr.uncle used to own a John Deere dealership and garage in our home town. When Mike was working on his Eagle Scout project he wanted to earn it before his great uncle passed away. Now 80 years later Mike is working for the worlds largest John Deere company and …. well you just never know, just maybe one day he’ll own a John Deere Dealership like his great uncle so many years ago.

While visiting Mike we did a lot of stuff. We went to a strawberry farm and picked strawberries. Mike said it was not the funnest part of our mini vacation, the berries do not jump into the buckets. Also, why would I go into the hot sun and pick berries without pinning my hair up. UGH!!!!

 

While out and about we went past a church that had at least a hundred families of geese. I took lots of pictures but really, the babies aren’t as cute as they were last week so ones enough. While on one side of the lake with the geese I saw this tree across the lake. What in the world are those birds? I have never seen them before so we headed to the other side and guess what they are?

  

They are Egrets. A relative to our Great Blue Huron. WOW, I have never see them before and never in the hundreds. I met a woman there who comes each year and photographs them from spring to fall and she had the neatest pictures to show me that she’s taken. Of course her camera isn’t a tiny point and shoot but you can get the idea. If you click on the last picture you can see the wisp of feathers on this bird.

Went back to Mike’s apartment and watched a movie and put up 6 containers of cut up, washed and ready to eat strawberries. And we also baked cookies and muffins so he’s have snacks for this week.

On the 4th his town didn’t have a fireworks display but they had this. It was amazing, wonderful, beautiful and heartwarming.

It’s called the Veteran’s walk of faith….

 

In our travels we found a 1845 historical building. It use to be an insane asylum and than a school and than a habitation center and now some type of government/DNR building. On our travels around this area there is a road called …. incinerator road, you can guess where the crematorium was.

    

And of course my sunsets. I can’t help myself. I can’t get enough of them. This one is from down with Mike and this one below is from the house last night. My garden is doing awesome too. I got home on Friday morning to a hubby and dogs that thought I was gone for weeks instead of just 40 hours.

And last but not least, what’s the 4th of July weekend without a few fireworks.

 

 

Now it’s a new week. With 6 kids today, 1 tomorrow, cleaning the lodge on Wednesday, Thursday is 2 and our county fair, Friday I start bussing for special needs and Saturday a berry farm open house near Brainerd. A great week, a busy week and of course more pictures to share next week.

Not sure if I’ll get back here this week or not, you know how summers are. Busy, busy, busy. Our evenings are filled with working on the camper which is really starting to look like something we can use and have a great time with. My garden has weeds that need picking and some kohlrabi that needs eating. And I have to kick up my walking/jogging cuz in about 5 weeks I have a 5K I’m doing with Mike and his legs are twice as long as mine so I know very well I’ll be jogging a most of the race.

Take care my friends and I hope that you are all have a great and wonderful summer.