Saturday, March 28, 2009

And How was Your Day?

Today we were awakened, after a late night of sewing, to a wild-eyed Jbear. He woke at 2 a.m. with his ears hurting, saying he "lost his yawn" and was never able to sleep again. Boo sat up with him for hours and fed him Tylenol to keep him relatively quiet. Rowdy Girls and Gracie slept late, but by 10 a.m. we had a plan to call our fabulous neighbor/doctor/friend, Dr. Will, and beg. Between a morning of buying trees and an afternoon of Awanas with his own children, he dropped in and pronounced Jbear's right ear as "unhappy" and the left ear "not far behind". He used our phone to call in a prescription, talked to us a few minutes, and after being hugged and thanked by Jbear, a.k.a. Buzz Lightyear, went out on our unseasonably cold day in March. As a  thank you gift for him, I searched the internet finding and purchasing my favorite little Golden Book from the 1950's, Dr. Squash, by Margaret Wise Brown. 

After playing the piano, running through the house, surfing the stairs, and a few other high volume activities, Jbear and Em wore out. Roo was not far behind after a morning of memory cards, stacking birthday candles, and avoiding the twin and cousin. In fact she could be heard saying "Are you OK, Ruby?"  At 11:30 her blood sugar totally bottomed and she begged for food. After eating a bowl of mac & cheese, half a fried egg, some mashed potatoes, and a smoothie with half an avocado and banana in it, she was fine. Off to a nice nap for Jbear and the Rowdy Girls. 

Then Gracie woke up. She played and charmed everyone and ate half a bowl of mashed potatoes.  While Boo and Michael fetched antibiotics for Jbear, Grandpa and CB watched Gracie, and I finished the Easter Dresses. Boo caught a nap to make up for her sleepless night. Before CB and girls drove away to their home in the Hill Country to see their lonely husband/daddy, we caught this photo while the girls modeled their new dresses over their leggings. Special guest appearance is by Buzz Lightyear, feeling much better after a dose of pink medicine and a nap.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

It's a Beautiful Day

Jbear and Gracie are here with us and their Mommy, Boo, while their Daddy travels around TX for his work. We are extremely grateful that he left them in our care for a few days.  So much fun for us and more fun for Boo than staying in AZ with them alone. 

Today the wind blew terribly. Then it turned dark and began to thunder. Finally some beautiful rain fell. We need lots more, but are thankful for that much. Then the sun came out and it was a clear, cool, beautiful day. Jbear pronounced it to be such a day. As he helped Grandpa bake an apple pie he twice announced, "Grandpa, it's a beautiful day." I think that may have been a slight hint to play in the sandbox, but he was content to stick with the baking. 

It was also a beautiful day for watching Gracie learn new motor skills and explore her surroundings--stairs, brick hearth, chair rungs, discarded shoes, the barber chair that was Dubbie's.  A perfectly beautiful day for smocking an Easter dress. Lovely day for visiting with Nannie. Great day for Scooter to pack his doggie bag and ride in the car with Nannie to her house. Perfect day for a nap for Grandpa, who has a bit of a sore throat. Fabulous day for re-formatting some documents for my studio. Beautiful day for cooking King Ranch Chicken and eating it by a fire after a good workout at the gym. 

And it was the perfect day for Nannie's best friend since high school, Maxine Marie, to go be with Jesus after many months of battling cancer.  Thanks for sharing your middle name with me. We will all see you soon.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Movie Break

Good day. Slept late. Went to Body Flow. Had a vision. Yep. Right there at Body Flow. During relaxation the teacher said "Title of this song is Fight Day. Are you fighting anything?" And right there on the floor I heard the words "spiritual powers, authorities, wickedness".  Then I felt myself try to do a crunch, but this time it wasn't from a yoga mat. It was from a cross. And I knew that I had been crucified with Christ and was seated in heavenly places and He was the one who did the fighting for me against spiritual wickedness--it is no longer mine to fight.  And all of that happened in about 60 seconds and was preceded by those simple words.  Now that's what I call a bonus from an exercise class!  The Holy Spirit released power in those simple words. 

The remainder of the day was great--grocery shopping, former student's university senior recital, and the movie "Duplicity" and dinner out with Muffin. Lovely!

Galations 2:20 I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me.  And the life I now live I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave His life for me. 

Friday, March 20, 2009

Cake Break

This beautiful spring day I managed to be productive. Wrote a report on public relations to be delivered to a state convention of a music club next week. Delivered two tablecloths, one sheet of music and a book for a silent auction to the music club president's home. Took white chocolate apricot bread to my Mom, the Great Grand Nannie of them all. Central Market's bakery bakes that bread on Fridays, and Muffin stops there on the way home to buy a few groceries for us. He cooked fresh shrimp from the Market for our dinner tonight--boiled them in the pot right on top of our stove. Yum!  And after we ate delicious shrimp we did an aerobic workout at the gym. 

In the middle of the afternoon I took a break from sewing, laundry, and answering mail to bake a cake. PW's Chocolate Sheet Cake is mostly butter and cocoa held together with a few other basic ingredients. It goes together really quickly and looks good enough to swim in before you eat it. Problem is that it isn't for us. Nope. I delivered it to an Emmaus team meeting for lunch tomorrow.  And I trust they will be blessed. 

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Spring Breaking

I've been having fun. Not blogging. Not that blogging isn't fun, but it was time for me to play away from the computer. I played one week by traveling to the nearest Apple store and buying a Macbook.  And I'm still playing with it. Been playing games on it, too. Mostly Facebook word games, which, after a while, make me crazy with all those three letter words that are never used in a conversation.  

After playing and watching Muffin transfer all my "stuff" from the old computer to the Granny Smith, I was on Spring Break. Yay! For the first two days the weather was fabulous and I shopped, cut out three Easter dresses for my Grand Babies who are girls, and pleated them for smocking.  Then I spent several hours at the gym, because it was what I wanted to do. Seriously. I save all my podcasts for the gym or road trips, so both are more fun. I list to NPR programs, sermons, Celtic music, and Grammar Girl. Yes, I know it's weird. 

Then I spent an afternoon baking Morning Glory Muffin bread, which Em pronounced to be yummy in her tummy. And it's very good for her, also.  And, I like to bake. 

After that Muffin and I drove south to the Hill country and spent five fabulous days with CB and girls, then, as they trickled in, JB, Joy and Mike, and fabulous Aunt Kaki. During those five fab days I went to a workshop at the  Granny Smith store, played babies and memory cards and sang songs and read books. Muffin, CB, Em, Roo and I went for pie at Happy Hour. Yes, the local restaurant has pie and a non-alcoholic drink every afternoon at an unbelievable price. We had Key lime, Apple, and Peanut Butter slices with coffee and hot chocolate. 

When the twins were asleep we took naps or I smocked dresses. I finished a book and learned lots about speaking in Apple/Mac.  It was so much fun!

Then I came home and reality met me at the garage door. Sigh.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

A rose is a rose is a ......





Aren't these stripes cheerful?  They almost take the edge off losing an hour of sleep last night to the beginning of Daylight Saving Time. 



I love red. My closet and my house is a testimony to that preference. 

Muffin gave me beautiful Henri Matisse roses this weekend.  No special occasion.  Just because he loves me. I love him back!  Anyway, I thought I would share them with you.  
Have a blessed Lord's Day.



Wednesday, March 4, 2009

LIFE

Recently I have been painfully reminded of the fragility of lives around me. My high school friend, oldest daughter of one of my Mom's closest friends, died after a four week episode with pneumonia and ARDS.

A dear Christian sister's older sister died after many years of battling cancer. Another friend lost a sister with Alzheimer's. The 48 year old sister in law of another Christian sister died after a routine hysterectomy with no complications.

Life is precious. There is a fine line between the Kingdom of Earth and the Kingdom of Heaven. Just a breath separates them.

The most recent episode of Extreme Makeover Home Edition came to the aid of a Keller, TX family--the Augustins. My Muffin works with the grandfather to this family. Their home was destroyed in a flood, which also destroyed the wife's business. She is a photographer extraordinaire who also donates her services to families who have fragile infants--those who are in the NICU or who may only live moments or hours. Her photographs enable a family to tangibly see and hold some part of a life that is straddling that fine line between the Kingdoms. Her photography is so beautiful that you can almost feel the emotions just in the viewing of the photos. Not unexpectedly, she is a big supporter of March of Dimes.

If March of Dimes had never been there for Em and Roo in their earliest days, I would still support the organization, because they are about LIFE. Every life is holy in God's eyes. His Word declares that. Every one who dies, who crosses over from this Kingdom to the Kingdom of Heaven, is seen by God at that moment.

I just read, first in an email, and then again in the Wall Street Journal and the Chicago Tribune that President Obama seeks to rescind the rule that has been in place for 30 years which allows medical workers to refuse to do abortions according to their moral conscience. This also allows pharmacists to refuse to fill the "morning after" drug that induces abortion, according to their moral conscience. Can this be legal according to the constitution? Must we endanger a life by law? Are we still guaranteed life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? Is someone's happiness only fulfilled by taking the life of an innocent baby?

I am appalled. Sickened. I emailed President Obama at this link. I joined this Facebook group and will send the President an empty red envelope. I read about Forty Days for Life and am praying for those in my city who are joining in this peaceful protest. I hope you will join me.