Such a Blessing!

It would be difficult to describe how proud and happy an new grandchild can make you feel. I was so very glad to be able to go to Carrington's blessing in Lynchburg on Nov. 30. Grandma really enjoyed getting to come along. How wonderful to see John & Amy and the boys, my beautiful new granddaughter, Stephanie & the twins, Katherine & Todd Dubyk, and the all of the Halpin clan. It's always good to visit with the Halpins and I am very thankful for their generous hospitality to all of us.

Dad didn't tolerate the trip very well. It took almost forever to try and get him ready to leave. We all poked and prodded, but he just would not be hurried. Of course that made us late to church and the blessing. We ran into the building just as they were calling the priesthood to the front for the blessing. I ran back to the truck and got Lisa and Grandma, but I missed most of the blessing. The part that I heard was beautiful. Carrington looked so very beautiful in the same blessing dress that Amy wore for her blessing! Dad never even got out of the truck and I got to walk Scooter (the dog) in the rain outside the church building. After church we headed over to the Halpin's for lunch and fellowship. Dad said he wasn't going to come in, he wanted to just head home, so Grandma, Lisa and I went in to enjoy the company. After a short while, Frank came stumbling in the front door. He had fallen trying to get up the front steps and had soiled himself. Bob & Sandy Halpin were kind enough to lend him some clothing and no one said a thing. Lunch was wonderful! Getting to watch the Schwartz and Dubyk boys play and getting to hold Carrington made the day awesome.

On the down side, it rained all the way home. Dad had to get out of the car to relieve himself and fell in a ditch filled with water. We were afraid to walk the dog in that mess, so twice the dog got very upset and ended up pooping on Dad. Hey, it wasn't the dog's fault we wouldn't stop! (Luckily it was solid enough to grab with a tissue and toss out the window) After we got home we realized Dad's suitcase had been left at the Halpin's. We called and they found it. Amy took it home with her & we made plans to go pick it up the next weekend. But that's another story....

Catching up...

Not having a computer for two months made it impossible for me to try and "keep in touch." Now I have gotten my early Christmas present of a beautiful new computer, I don't know where to start. I've decided to do several smaller blogs centered around specific themes, but I find that when I sit down and face a blank page my mind goes blank also. So here goes, I hope to do better at keeping this updated.

DOG GONE!
Well, Samson did it one last time... On Oct. 19th, I was going to take him for a walk and as I started down the driveway, Samson ran ahead and attacked my brother Cale's dog XS. XS got a grip on Samson's neck and started tearing away, I ran down the hill and tried to pull them apart. Not only was I now strong enough, Samson didn't have a collar on and I had no way to really pull him away. I was screaming at both dogs, they were really going at it, and I ended up knocked down on the ground (3 different times). Luckily Cale works from home on Mondays and he heard me and came out to help. It took both of us working very hard to separate the two dogs. I don't understand why a dog (Samson) would attack another dog (XS) when he has got to know he is going to get torn up. Anyway, the decision was made. Samson was the one who wouldn't play nice, therefor he was the one that had to leave. Dad was sooo upset, but saw that it had to be that way. I called our good friend Yvonne, who also has boxers, and she said she actually does boxer rescues. She found a wonderful home for our Samson and offered to drive up and pick him up on Saturday, Oct. 24th. We understand that Samson is doing very well and that helps some, but Dad didn't think he could stand not to have a dog. So, less than a week after we sent Samson away, we decided to go ahead and get another dog. I was able to talk Dad into "thinking small" and we went hunting for a small breed dog to fill the gap. On Oct. 31st we drove around to several shelters until we were able to find a mini-schnauzer pup. Dad wasn't sure he would like a little dog, but since he can't really get out to exercise a large dog, he is finding that a little dog stays a puppy forever. Scooter, our new "baby," needs a good bit of grooming, which Dad enjoys doing, he is snuggly and oh too cute. Best of all, he gets along with Uncle Cale's dogs. We have also found that he is able to travel with us, which is nice.

Back to being a "Housewife"

I must admit, I really love being a stay at home "mom." My children are larger, I don't have to help with homework, and I only have a few toys to keep cleaned up, but I still have cooking, grocery shopping, cleaning, laundry, dirty diapers (think Depends), jealousy over who gets more of "Mommy's" attention, running to various doctors' appointments and the other housewife things that, believe it or not, I love doing. I didn't realize how much I didn't like getting up and going to work until I didn't have to do it anymore.

We're getting the various doctors set up and this is sooo much easier since I don't have to work around a work schedule. All these things just take some time and Dad isn't an especially patient person.

Wednesdays belong to Grandma, I take her to get her hair fixed at 11am, we go to lunch at Ruby Tuesdays, then grocery shop. After she came home from the hospital on Monday, she had an accident in her bed. Grandma kept crying and apologizing for the mess, but I told her it wasn't a big deal, it's all washable (luckily she has a waterproof mattress pad). Two days later it happened again, no big deal. Then this morning when I got Grandma up and to the bathroom, I saw that she had had a BM in her Depends so I took her into her shower to clean her off. When I brought her back out and started drying her off, she started having diarrhea all over herself and the floor. When she finished, it was back into the shower. It was like changing a diaper and then having the baby having a blowout right after you get them cleaned up ... sound familiar? The only difference is my "baby" is 86 years old, 4'10" tall and weighs 78 pounds.

Then there are the woods. I love going for walks around here! Uncle Cale has had trails cleared out for his kids to use with their 4-wheelers, but they are also great walking trails. Samson is starting to get a little more comfortable with the whole "country" thing, I just have to make sure I'm outside with him so he doesn't try to go after XS or vice-versa. I also like visiting with Uncle Cale. He and Daddy had a game of air-hockey yesterday and evidently it was a lot of fun for both of them.

The biggest problem, of course, is Daddy complaining about not getting enough attention, the house not being straightened out or clean enough, Grandma getting too much attention, and all the other usuals. But then, that never changes, so it isn't a big deal. Actually, even he will admit that he is happier here than in SC.

My next big project is to find Special Olympics and get Lisa hooked up with that. I'm determined to make this a good move for all of us. Feel free to come visit, we have a queensize hide-a-bed and there is room to sleep at Uncle Cale's also. A swimming pool in the summer, nature trails all the time, and, once it's up and running, a fun arts and crafts barn to do stuff in.

City Dog in the Country

A few days after moving to Virginia, I was taking Samson out for a walk and a rabbit jumped out of some tall weeds right next to the front porch and ran into the woods. Samson didn't even seem to notice, I smiled, "City dog."
A week later Samson saw a squirrel at the base of a tree and started to walk over to look at it. The squirrel started to climb the tree and Samson just stared at it. The squirrel didn't know what to think and he would stop and look back at Sam, then climb a little more, stop and look back at Sam, climb a little more, until he disappeared into the top of the tree. Samson never did anything but watch and then walk away. I chuckled, "City dog."
People around here sometimes bring their dogs with them when they come to do work, the dogs just run around the property and maybe play with Uncle Cale's dogs. Well, Samson isn't used to this and didn't know how to play nice and the results of that were in the last blog. I lamented, "Stupid city dog."
Last week something must have bitten Samson because he suddenly lifted his right hind leg like it had been broken, tried to bite at something on it, then started looking around his head and biting at something that must have been flying around him (I couldn't see anything). It really looked funny and I laughed, "Silly city dog."
This week I took Samson out for a walk (he isn't allowed outside without Dad or me because both times he started fighting he was out with only Lisa) and as went into the woods, an acorn fell. Samson jumped like he had heard a shotgun go off and then looked up with a "the sky is falling" look on his face. He RAN to the front door and asked to go inside. I really laughed that time, "Poor little city dog!"
Actually I enjoy taking him for walks because we wander through the woods and get to enjoy them. We'll see how I feel about that when winter comes!?

Dog Trouble

We have the dumbest dog! The dogs around here aren't on leashes, they just kind of run around the neighborhood and mostly stay in their own yards (hey, we're on 27+ acres here). Well, Samson took exception to having two other male dogs around and on Friday, 8/8 picked a fight with Uncle Cale's 1 year old mutt, XS, who chewed Sam up pretty badly around the neck and right ear. After a few days, the dog's neck was swollen and infected. On 8/11 we took him to the vet and he ended up with drains coming out of his neck for a week. He looked like "Frankenstein Dog." We had the drains taken out on Tues, 8/19 and the stupid dog attacked XS again early Friday mornng and got his neck ripped to pieces again. He even has a perfect "bite impression" of XS's dentition in one part of his neck. Aunt Diane wants us to get rid of the dog and I would just as soon get rid of him and either NOT get another dog or get a smaller one that knows how to play nice. Dad wants to keep him, of course, and so we just have to be extra careful when we walk him that the other dogs aren't out. When I figure out how to get the pictures from our camera, I'll show you how he looked.

We're going home to Virginia!

We have made the commitment to move to Fredericksburg to live with Grandma Haren. She and Lisa will share a room and Dad and I will have the other bedroom. There is actually a little more room available than I originally thought, but still most of our things will be going into storage for a while. Why the move? A few of reasons: 1) Grandma needs a live in helper, 2) Dad wants me around more to help him as he becomes more disabled, 3) Lisa would like to be in an area where there is more Special Olympics, and 4) [this must be said in a very deep southern accent] "Ah was bohrn to be a laidy of leeshuh."







There is a two horse barn near the pool in the backyard that Uncle Cale is going to help me fix up as a crafts area. Grandpa's tools are out there and mine will join them. There is also lots of room to store some of our other stuff (ie Christmas decorations, yarns, camping equipment, etc.) Oh, yeah, there is a nice pool in the back yard that has a spa built into it. I plan to enjoy that and try to get Dad to do some aquatic exercises. Uncle Cale and Aunt Diane have a great area set up with exercise equipment and games, they are in the process of building an absolutely awesome library where we will be able to have our books, and they are also fixing up a sewing room that I plan on enjoying. One of my biggest projects is to organize all our photographs and start working on family history. If necessary, I can work at one of the 3 local Fresenius Dialysis Clinics in the area part time.



We'll have snow! Dad is really excited about living in the woods again and the snow stuff and of course having me around all the time.



Dad and I travelled up to visit the weekend of the 28th & 29th and Grandma, Dad, Uncle Cale, Aunt Diane and I each were able to talk out our concerns and expectations. Samson will probably be the biggest problem, but I'm sure we can work that out too. Dad and I are hoping he, Lisa, and I will be able to travel a little more often to visit all of you and you are, of course, welcome to come visit us any time.

A Super Weekend!

April 26, 2008

I had to work the weekend of Frankie's birthday, so we made plans on the following Saturday to get together for lunch. Dad, Lisa, and I met Frank, Tracy, Leah, and Rebekah at the Olive Garden for an early lunch. We had a very nice visit and then went to the model home of the one they are having built. It was really a great house. Leah got a kick out of showing us "her room," it had a chair railing with spring green paint below and bright pink above. The house itself is wonderful and just perfect for them. Part of the highlight of the day was me getting a really cute picture of the two cutest redheads on earth. Rebekah didn't want to cooperate at first, so I got the bonus of Frank being in the picture too. Thanks for a wonderful weekend, Schwartz's.

I'm just full of thoughts going in all directions today. Yesterday a patient "coded" during treatment. We did CPR and sent her via rescue squad to the local hospital, but she didn't make it. She had just been talking and joking with her nurse (not me) and a couple minutes later she stopped breathing and her heart stopped beating. We don't know what happened, there was no warning, she was only 56 years old. It was very sobering. I run through my mind, what could have been done differently, but the answer is "nothing."

We have gone to chairside computers to keep track of patients' treatments. It makes it impossible for people to "cheat" on the vital sign checks they are supposed to be doing every 30 minutes. The P(atient)C(are)T(echnition)s are still trying to make the nurses do all the catheter pts and there just isn't time for us to do that and all the other things we have to do. It really gets to me lately. I am going to have to start writing people up for these things and I hate to start the battle I think it might bring on. Things were so crazy today that I wasn't able to get hardly any of my paper work done. I think once we all get used to the new system it will straighten out. Anyway, now that I've put this down, I feel a little guilty complaining so much.

The Clinical Manager position has opened up in the York Dialysis Clinic (it's on the same road & about 1/4 mile before the York Ward Bldg). I was thinking of applying for the position, but I need to really think of the pros & cons. I wouldn't have to work on Saturdays, as a rule. I would only HAVE to work 40 hours a week, but it is a salaried position so I wouldn't get overtime no matter how many hours I end up working. It would give me some more freedom as far as taking time off, but it would require me to go to seminars and training sessions at times that are out of town and last for several days. I know most of the people who work there already, so I know I can work with them. However they're getting ready to open a nocturnal shift that runs from about 6pm to 4am, and if someone calls out, I would be the one to go in (again, with no extra pay). I almost certainly won't take it, but it gives me something to think about for the future.

On the upside, Dad and I are planning on taking a trip the second weekend in May (that's Mother Day weekend). We had originally planned on taking Lisa and the dog also, but Lisa decided she would rather stay home and take care of the dog here. I think she has been talking to some of the people at church and they are offering to come visit her, take her to lunch, etc., while Dad and I are out of town. I had found a motel that would take pets, but Lisa insists she wants to stay here. Anyway, I plan on visiting Grandma first, then travelling down to Dunn for Jon's graduation and to play with Alex and Jack. I will try to remember to get pictures taken so I can share them with you. So enough of my rambling, I feel better already. I will probably do this more often.

My closing thought comes from a talk by Elder David A Bednar from the Nov.2006 "Ensign":
"One of the greatest indicators of our own spiritual maturity is revealed in how we respond to the weaknesses, the inexperience, and the potentially offensive actions of others. A thing, an event, or an expressions may be offensive, but you and I can choose not to be offended-- and to say with Pahoran, 'it mattereth not.'" (see Alma 60:2 & Alma 61:2, 9)

Looking on the Positive Side

"How to Live Well amid Increasing Evil"

"You have a choice. You can wring your hands and be consumed with concern with the future or choose to use the council the Lord has given to live with peace and happiness in a world awash with evil. If you choose to concentrate on the dark side, this is what you will see. . . . Now the brighter side. Dispite pockets of evil, the world overall is majestically beautiful, filled with many good and sincere people. God has provided a way to live in this world and not be contaminated by the degrading pressures evil agents spread throughout it. You can live a virtuous, productive, righteous life by following the plan of protection created by your Father in Heaven. His plan of happiness."
(Richard G. Scott, Ensign, May 2004)

I read this and it made me feel better about a world where I only hear about all the bad things that are happening in our world. It gives me faith that things will be okay. Hope you enjoy it.
Love, MOM

Just some thoughts, an open letter

I don't know what it is about a blank page, but my mind goes blank when I look at it. I think part of the problem is I worry about what I put in this blog and who will read what I write. I get so much joy from reading you kids' blogs. It helps me feel like I'm not so far away from you. Things here seem like same ol', same ol', and Dad still has his good days and bad days. He can still say something sweet and give me the most tender kiss and I melt all over again. I truly adore your Dad in spite of everything that has happened. He means to be a good man, even if he is completely selfish and self centered sometimes. Try to see past his shortcomings and understand that he really does love each of you very much (including your spouses). If he could he would shower you with gifts, he's just a little short in the praise department. Try to imagine working and playing hard all your life and then suddenly being practically confined to a bed with nothing to do all day. Anyway, just a couple of thoughts. I love you all. -- Mom

My Computer Died

Somehow it seems appropriate. I decide to join the world of bloggers and my computer contracts a worm and dies. I can still play my games at this point, but the internet connection is gone. I never really did very much on my computer, but now that I really care -- it's gone. I called HP to try and get a reboot disc and was told it's so old they not only don't make them anymore, they don't have any available in their old stock. Dad has kindly given me his computer to use. I pray it isn't infected also.
So anyway, I'm madly trying to save any files I can and I just printed out what journal entries I have made over the years. I will sort through them and share any that I feel might be of interest. So now, a moment of silence for my poor old laptop...
That done, I now need you girls to help me out. I need some new ideas for dinners. Dad is tired of the same old thing over and over, so if you have any recipies you'd like to share to help me out it would be very appreciated. Thanks ladies, I love you. MOM

Keeping in Touch

I'm taking the plunge and joining the world of bloggers. I chose this name to show I was keeping in touch with my wonderful children and grandchildren, but the more I ponder it, I think this will also mean keeping in touch with reality and myself. I'm not funny or clever like my daughters and daughters-in-law, but I enjoy reading their blogs so very much I hope they will be able to get something from mine. My wonderful children, this blog will most likely contain many random thoughts about the past and present and since I'm so poor at keeping a journal, this will help me with that also. So here goes, I've always loved swimming and now I'm taking a deep breath, holding my nose, and plunging into the stream of bloggers as I try to keep my head above water. SPLASH!