THINK BEACH!

As I stare out of my front room window at the snow mountain that dominates my view, I can't help but think... WE'RE GOING TO THE BEACH. I'm not too excited...well, yes I am. Each time a flake falls and stacks up higher on my azaleas, I just go to the beach in my mind. I can picture it...cool ocean breezes taking away the stress of the day and warm, balmy days making the cool breezes oh so welcome. My family and friends with me and lots of things to see and do...or not..if that's what you choose. I'm there.

As for life in an igloo...I can't say that I'm for that very much. I don't mind the cold weather at all and a little snow is just beautiful. A mountain of snow is not so beautiful unless you are climbing the Alps or something. This is Virginia for goodness sake. This isn't even the Blue Ridge area where I grew up and winters like this were expected. This is the Piedmont and this should not be happening to us.

Of course, Luna the lab-mix loves this snow. She can't wait to get out and run and leap like a deer. Skeeter, on the other hand, is not a fan. It's over his head and his low ground clearance makes for a very chilly willy...so to speak. We had to dig a path for him so that he could walk safely outside. He is so funny. When he really doesn't want to do something, he'll look at you with those pitiful eyes and start to shake. Come to think of it..so do I. It must run in the family.

Speaking of family, Becky and Katie have had some big adventures lately. Becky is on a mission to retrain our parrot. She has set up an appointment with the bird specialist so that we can get to the bottom of all of his squawking. The specialist thinks that he's mad that Becky got married and moved out and didn't take him with her. (I am too!) So, he has given her this regimen of things to do to get him to be more cooperative and happy. Really?

Katie was supposed to visit with the Social Security folks on the 8th...cancelled because the federal government closed. It was rescheduled for the 9th... which was cancelled because the federal government closed again. Someone backed into her car and damaged her bumper so we now can look forward to the repair shop adventure. Needless to say, she has not been easy to live with lately.

Stephen is doing great. He hasn't had any big things happening lately. He is just so steady. He goes to work, pays his bills, talks to his girlfriend, and visits friends once in awhile. He is being very responsible. Now, he just needs to get back into school.

Ed's working on a new proposal for work so that takes most of his time. He has made a decision to go to New York monthly to see his dad. I think that's great. I have some pictures to post from Pop's 83rd birthday in New York a couple of weekends ago. I still need to finish editing but they'll be up soon.

For the most part, things here are fine. The snow is beautiful, the time with my family is fantastic and I am at the beach in my mind. Life is so good.

What Now!

Health... without it we are nothing. Faith...without it, we truly are nothing. Here's the story of the past few days... I am almost ashamed to share it.

I was hospitalized for chest pain... not a heart attack..but probably coronary according to the doc. I was prescribed some meds and sent home...and then the follow-up with the cardiologist...new meds....got to get used to them...WOW. I have to face the fact that I am not INVINCIBLE at all. Really?

There are times when I believe that I AM INVINCIBLE. I AM THE QUEEN OF ALL THINGS and I CAN DO ANYTHING. Then reality slaps me square in the face and says...OH YEA of MEGA FAITH...you are nothing more than a little speck of dirt on the face of the earth...

That's when I reply...MY Lord God strengthens me. He leads me to make good decisions. He answers my prayers. He is the leader of this band. I have to follow him. My health right now is just a simple way to show him how much I trust and believe. I'm good with that. Love to you all.

Back to Earth--time to prioritize

This week has been exciting. So many changes have happened in such a short time. Now that vacation plans are confirmed, I have to wrap my mind around the business at hand. I need to do our taxes, clean house, do some work for school, and just get back to the business of taking care of daily business.

Ed and I have been looking at cars and we've decided to keep the money in savings for the time being, and test drive everything under the sun. We're going to watch for incentives from dealers and really compare. I'm glad about this. I hate car shopping.

I can't wait for tonight. Our dear friends Peg and Michael are taking us out to celebrate as part of our Christmas present. It's a surprise. I know that after mass, we're going over to their house because our reservations are at 7:00. If the place needs reservations, it must be something really special. This is going to be so much fun. We always have a great time together.

Becky, Katie, and I went shopping last night. She has to do this big event for work and needed two business suits. I have to say that finding them was easier than I expected. I have such a hard time finding clothes that fit me that I assume that everyone will have that same level of difficulty. We went to Olive Garden after shopping. What a nice treat.

The Beach Box

It is official. The lease is signed, the rent is paid and now we start the Beach Box. In our family, the Beach Box is a huge box or crate that collects items for the beach trip...for months. It's off to a good start....new dog toys, leashes, food bowls, life vests, new tags, and toilet paper. What more could you need? I'll try to take pictures and update the progress that we make toward getting ready to go. I can't believe this is happening. I'm so excited.

Countdown to Summer

Well, we did it. We put our hard earned cash down and we have a vacation house at the beach for the week of July 3-10. I am so excited that I can hardly stand it. So many plans, so many options, so much to think about and wait for...so much excitement. I have to pay a portion of the rent by the 25th and the remainder prior to going. I think maybe I'll just pay it all. That way I don't have to worry about it.

This house is amazing. It has a pool, foosball, rec room, volleyball court, hot tub, 6 bedrooms and 4 baths. We can bring the dogs. This is going to be so much fun. Let's see how things progress. I need to start the "beach box" and start stashing items to take each time I go shopping. I just can't wait.

The kids are beside themselves as well. It's been such a long time since we've been to Duck. I am looking forward to this so much. Yay!!!!!

Answered Prayers

How many times have you heard that "God works in mysterious ways." I believe that. I think that sometimes we have challenges that seem like they will never end. I've had a couple of years like that. But, I have to say, in His own time and in His own way, God has taught me something wonderful. He does listen and He will answer--if I ask, believe, and trust.

My first posts on this blog were about the struggles that our family is facing with NF2. Katie is progressing well with her cochlear implant and is due to go back for some adjustments. Her hearing may not ever be "perfect" but it is coming back enough to keep her safer. That's all we can really ask for, I think. This entire process has taught us the need for trust and faith to move forward and try what her doctor's suggest. They have been put in our lives for a reason and I'm so thankful for them.

The largest struggle with the NF2 at this point is the financial piece. My health insurance did a great job of covering what she has always needed...even though they needed a little persuasion from time to time...until she turned 23. Then, we had to make big decisions about what to do: do we try to attain Medicaid coverage through SSI, do we pick up a COBRA policy at a ridiculous price that we really couldn't afford, or what? Luckily, I work for a wonderful school system that truly helped me with this process. They assisted me in finding a way to keep her on my current policy for two years...with the possibility of her being able to remain on full time...with no change in premium payment. That was a huge blessing. They also encouraged me to pursue SSI for her.

Katie and I filled out the paperwork, went to the interviews, filled out more paperwork, talked with people who have no idea that DEAF is DEAF, and cried lots of tears together. Her father was the rock of support and has really been the glue that has kept us all from flying apart into different quivering pieces. We've called, written, screamed and finally...an answer..yesterday.

SHE WAS APPROVED! Thank you God, for another awesome blessing. We hadn't heard from anyone in awhile so I called our local Social Security Office. The approval had been sitting there for "awhile" and they just hadn't gotten around to telling us about it. (I wish they could have been living in this house for the past two weeks. The "not knowing" of all of this was sending Katie over the edge. She was surly, depressed, angry, and the only people she could share that with were my husband and me. I have to say that that wasn't at all pleasant.)

After that news, I heard from the attorney handling my car accident case. My settlement was mailed to me yesterday morning and will be here in days. It's been over a year. I am so thankful for the end to this process. I had no idea that when I asked for his help that it would take a year to resolve. I guess I should have known that we couldn't wrap things up until the injuries were healed.

It's really interesting, but the accident really has been another blessing. Because my car was a total loss we have been scaling back and holding off on buying another one. That has given me the time to ride with my children to more places, talk to them more, ride with friends and solve all of the world's problems as we travel to work...I even use the car pool at school. Ed and I have done much more together because we have been sharing his truck. Although I miss the freedom that I had when I had easy access to wheels, I think I'll miss this type of connection with my family when we get the other car. I'll have to make a point to keep connected.

Another blessing: my son and his girlfriend have just purchased a brand new car and now Kelly can find employment, go back to school, and find her way in life again. She has been a victim of very bad economical circumstances and has stayed strong through it. Now, a door is opening for the two of them. They both can contribute and move forward with their goals.

Another blessing: Becky and Rob are doing great and Becky is looking at going to graduate school in the next couple of years. She really wants to pursue forensic anthropology as a career choice. She's been looking for a job that is more in line with her interests and I think that she may be on to something. A local lab that tests crime scene evidence needs someone with her skills. It would really open up some doors for her. She likes her current job and won't leave it without other options but if this works out, she will be on her way to what she currently considers her "dream job". (LOL---I told her that her idea of a dream job will change 5000 times in her lifetime. My current idea of a dream job is being the sand chair tester on a wide expanse of beach somewhere--with my friends to keep me company!)

And the last blessing of the day: I feel fantastic. I've had pneumonia and didn't know it. My lungs are clearing, my follow-up appointment went great, I can breathe again and the upper respiratory nonsense has finally stopped. Thanks God for listening and giving so much to me and my family. Keep us strong, healthy, faith-filled, and full of trust in you. Amen.

A visit to the doc

I went into school on Tuesday after posting that I wasn't feeling all that great. Tuesday morning I was tired but not feeling too bad except for my lungs. They felt tight but, nothing too major. By 10:00, the tightness was not easing, I was having trouble getting enough air to talk to folks so I left and went to the doctor.

I found out that even though I didn't feel it, I have pneumonia. This is the fourth time in my life that I've had it. It doesn't happen often and it doesn't happen each time I get a cold. Unfortunately, a prior episode of pneumonia left me with a little asthma that acts up with upper respiratory stuff and that has recurred.

I'm so glad I went into the office. They gave me a breathing treatment, some medication, and a lecture about letting health concerns go too long. I agree with them. I often put off what I need to do other things and that isn't working for me.

I spoke to my friend Peg last night and she told me the same thing. I love Peg dearly. She is like the big sister that I never had. I can tell her anything and she will tell me objectively what she thinks about it. I really value her. My other friends are fantastic too but they don't always tell me what they really think. They do what most of us do, tell you what you want to hear. True friends are honest and Peg's advice has been spot-on many times. I watch how she re-invents herself and takes on new tasks and challenges with confidence and joy. She asks for God's guidance and tries her best to follow it. I think she is one of the bravest people that I have ever met. If a challenge presents itself, she embraces it, finds a solution, and moves on. She is awesome.