Day 3

"Don't think I don't have an eye out for bacon!" Thus Ian has perfected the double negative. What a wonderful young man! And don't I sound like a proud grandmother. You should hear him read. In first grade, he reads better than some adults I've heard, inflection and all. I'm impressed.

Abby has had dry pants for 3 days running, even during naps. Are we happy about that! That may be TMI for pastors and such, but it's a celebration here.

And little Sarah has been such a joy. I am crazy about these kids.

It's been a great day. Breakfast for supper, bacon and pancakes. I managed to please all three of them. Wahooey!

Off to clean up. Have a blessed evening, and keep praying for us!

PS Dean and Grace are happy, happy, happy! And so am I!

Oops! And Day 2

First Baptist of Parker, TX. I drove through Allen, but the church is in Parker.

Day 2, I am happy to say, was not so dramatic. Sarah stayed home, and I made her rest and sleep, not play. She slept a lot, which is great. And she started feeling better, for which I was very thankful. She is at school today, and I didn't get a call in the middle of Ikea to pick her up. Yay!

So we had a mellow day. Then Ian got home. And that's all there is to say about that. God is good!

Day 1: The Drama

The first day of Keeping the Grands is over. And what a day it was!

Goodbye, Dean and Grace! They were GIDDY going out the door. Can I blame them? I'M gonna be giddy going out the door Saturday, I foresee!

Church. Went to First Baptist of Allen, where Hal Brunson is pastor. Ten miles takes a half hour to travel here. Now I know. THE HOUSES! Wow. Got there late, as the turnoff was WAY up, and I thought I'd missed it and turned around. Abby decided to show her Abbiness, and I pulled her out from under the pew, etc. pretty much the whole time. Ian and Sarah were great! I felt sorry for the brother in front of me. The preaching was excellent. He's a little quieter than Brother Audey. :) Preached from Leviticus 16:20-22, The Hand of a Fit Man, on the high priest and the scapegoat. I learned a lot, and grew in thankfulness for such a Sacrifice as we have in our Lord. The singing was beautiful; kinda subdued, which was interesting. They have lunch afterwards, then another meeting at 1:30. Love that schedule, and would've stayed, except for Miss Abs. 

The evening. Abby and Dash, the dog (a beautiful HYPER miniature Italian greyhound) decided to exercise their bowels in incorrect places. I'll spare you the details, but it will go down in history as the Poo-Fest. At one point we [Deana, Dean's sister] just laughed.

The fire truck. I looked outside, and there it is in all its splendor! Looked around, no smoke. There was a grass fire down the road, so they needed to fill up the truck at the fire hydrant in front of the house. The kids were overjoyed, and I would've been, too, but we went upstairs to see if we could see the fire from the balcony, and bumped into Dash's "deposit" at the door. (Have you ever heard me growl?)

The TV. It croaked. Dean has the LATEST everything--beautiful big flatscreen on the wall. It got stuck on one station, couldn't change the volume or the channel. At least that channel was HGTV. Fun. Deana and I messed with it, reset it from the closet (so THAT'S where the wires are!), etc. Nothing. We eventually got the gray screen. BUT, after I messed with it some more, I called Deana in to see my achievement--a black screen with a big red X on it! She laughed until she cried. I like that girl.

The MORNING. I mean early morning. 4:30: Emmie, I [got sick in my bed]. Here comes little Sarah. No school today for her. After Abs comes in 10 minutes later and I send her back off to bed, I say, Well, time to get myself up to read. But Dash wants to sit on my bible and make himself comfortable (he is such a snuggly dog--gag). Then I suffer guilt, knowing that I'll probably have to take him to the vet for medication because he's suffering from separation anxiety (Mike actually knew of a dog like this!), so I pat him on the head. That'll have to do, Dog. And I growled again, and Dash went and got his toy that he thrashes around like a MAD DOG (as in rabid), and wants me to play fetch.  Don't tell anyone I'm not a big dog fan, especially of little hyper ones. BUT I did manage to do my reading. Thus begins Day 2. Pray for me.

Update

Hello, bloggity friends! All's well here--awaiting a thunderstorm, which would be fabulous.

I've been so busy lately. Just got back from traveling for Spring Break--OK and McK. Lovely time. Came home to the stomach bug. Both of us. Yuck. And I'm continuing proofreading a book for our friend--what an adventure that's turned out to be. I'm loving it.

And then I'm headed north to spend a week with the baby grands while the parents go on vacation. I'm glad for them to get away--he works so hard, and so does she! Break time!

And next month (probably) I'm headed to SD, to help out my precious daughter-in-love as she brings our little Bethany into the world, while enjoying the other three (not to mention Mike!). I may even learn to play chess while I'm up there. We'll sure have time enough.

Mom's doing well; hanging in there. I love the nursing home. I'd move in there if I could (almost). Precious, precious folk. And to think I used to HATE that place--Greg would go and take the kids and I'd stay home. I used to feel so helpless and useless there. Amazing the changes God can make.

Off to proofread before prayer meeting tonight. Greg is teaching tonight, so I'm looking forward to that.

I hope to be posting more faithfully. And I might even post some pics sometime.

Love to all. Wasn't this exciting?

Three Wonders, and More

Ever hear what seems to be the most horrible news about a dear friend, grieve, cry, pray--and see God do a miracle? How about three? I have, and I want to give all the glory to God. Incredible, unless you consider that we're talking about my God, with whom NOTHING is impossible.

One of my dearest friends in the world is an RN (not you, Hassan). She is the type that can get the both of you almost kicked out of the plastic surgeon's office for uncontrollable laughter, followed by the receptionist coming over and saying, Aren't WE having a great time!? [First of all, before our dear brother Audey, I HATED it when people would say WE--as in: Waitress: Are WE enjoying our meal? WELL, sweetie, come take a bite of my burger and we'll put our opinions together and come up with an answer (and don't I look like the sweetest Christian sister sitting there while I'm thinking this?!)]!

(Anyway, how did I get off into that?) She's the kind that you could play Taboo with and CONQUER, because you just understood each other so well it was uncanny. She's also the kind you can confide in, and she has such love and wisdom that she helps you. And cries with you, and prays for you. The kind you work together with in the jail ministry, striving to reach those dear lady prisoners (while trying not to laugh out loud when one yells, Shut up, already (to another prisoner)--can't you see we're having CHURCH!? Whoo hoo! Fun times!). Your charter member of the Sisters of Compassion (ha!), of which you are the Founding Mother. And, years later, you can call after way too long and pick up right where you left off, knowing the love is there and you have prayed for each other all that time. And the kind you miss so much it hurts. How I love her! She has an excellent testimony, has boldness and compassion with/for her patients, and HELPS them as they die. And she loves the Lord Jesus Christ with all she is, and her favorite hymn is Be Still, My Soul. As well it should be, as you will see shortly.

My dear friend used to be very overweight, otherwise known as morbidly obese. She had surgery to help, and had an INCREDIBLE amount of complications and surgeries afterwards to repair so many things that went wrong. She almost died because she wasn't absorbing her nutrients, and had to have a feeding tube inserted, all the while working, sick nigh-unto-death, because she HAD to have the insurance.

Lots of tests! And the devastating verdict(s): The cause of the problem is: you have scleraderma (a HORRIBLE painful, fatal disease--look it up), lupus (ask anyone who has it), and hepatitis C! That would explain her horrible health! She accepted this diagnosis with amazing grace and a soul stilled by the Lover of her soul. And she continued ministering and working and blessing the Lord. And being a testimony to her dear lost surgeon, who has the opposite of her attitude. (Pray for him!)

And then, a call from the rheumatologist. And she calls me and tells me all that's going on, and I have to ASK her how she's doing with it all, and THEN, almost at the end of the conversation, she tells me the rheumatologist told her (AMAZING GRACE!) that she had THREE false-positives, because of the state of her nutrition (I don't know the right term for it)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How wonderful would it be to know you didn't have hepatitis C, OR lupus, OR scleraderma! How about all THREE!? Astounding! I about fell to my knees crying--I couldn't stop. How I love that girl! Great God of Wonders! Who is a pardoning God like Thee, or who has grace so rich and free? Bless the LORD, O my soul!

I love you, Pat.