Whale of a Time!

It was great fun being the fill-in for mommy in Sabbath School this morning for my two granddaughters. When it was time for the big cardboard "whale" to "swallow Jonah", little Julia jumped from her seat and proceeded to crawl through the whale's "belly" from the wrong end! This caused a bottleneck for the kids who had started crawling through the other end to exit from the whale's mouth. I thought for a minute I would have to crawl in there myself to bring her out, but fortunately she listened to the teacher's directions and backed out gracefully on her own. (Actually, she WAS following the Bible narrative when you think about it; Jonah went in the mouth and came out that way too.)

There were other directions that Julia was not as prompt to respond to. And that was anything her older sister suggested or tried to guide her to do. Invariably, Julia did the opposite of what sister proposed.

I wonder if I am as apt to listen to some people's advice as I am to others'. It really does depend on who the person is, doesn't it? I pray that I can be the type of grandmother, mother, wife, sister, and aunt that the valued people in my life will want to listen to. However, I realize that I can't be that for everyone all the time. That's why God recommends a multitude of counselors. We need several people in our lives to give us advice and direction, including and especially those in our church family. I praise God for giving me family of both kinds.

Because we all need direction. You don't want to cause a bottleneck in the belly of the whale now, do you?

You can see the "whale" behind the boat on the left here. 

And this is Julia about to go up for her birthday celebration a few weeks ago.

A Not-so-busy Day

This was a very relaxing day for me. At home all morning by myself with no errands to run. Just some light housekeeping and a few phone calls to make. Consequently, I'm lacking something to share in this blog.

I thank the Lord for keeping me busy most days, but also for days that aren't so busy that show me what I lack.

And that IS something to share. Because that is, in a nutshell, the purpose of the Sabbath. A day, not so busy, that shows me what I lack.

Welcome to my house, Lord of the Sabbath.

Being Self-ish

I was so tired after my day in Hastings yesterday that I refused to do the mountain of dishes that filled the kitchen sinks and overflowed to the counters. I was sure it would be easier to do them this morning when I was fresher.

I thought I would be fresh enough to tackle the dreaded chore after taking my nephew to work, watering the garden, uncovering the bird, giving Dean his pills, making some French toast for breakfast, putting some clean clothes away, and getting Dean's clothes and towels ready for his bath. But alas, I felt even more fatigued than the night before!

After checking my blood pressure, I discovered it was low--95/55, the cause of my weakness and fatigue. I know from experience that drinking some water would increase the volume in my blood vessels and bring it back up. This has happened a few times to me this summer. Just not drinking as much as I should for this hot weather, I'm sure.

As caregivers we recognize that we can be so busy taking care of others we fail to take care of ourselves. The preacher Paul shared this concept with us in I Corinthians 9:27 when he said:

"But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."

It's not selfish to look after yourself. It just makes good sense. For ANY ministry.

Pills Come First!

Things were sizzling today, and not just temperature-wise. I had so many housekeeping and caregiving details to remember in preparation to leave Dean for the day, that I didn't remember the most important, crucial detail of all until I was on the way to carpool for an out-of-town board meeting.

To remind, er, watch him take his morning pills!

Dean's pills were still in the pill organizer when I got home. I'm assuming the adult day program survived any additional crankiness. I haven't gotten any calls from them yet. Thank you, God, for covering my neglect, and preventing any disasters.

This just goes to show that when we think we have everything in our Christian walk covered, we can still be overlooking a vital detail. But God has promised to "fill in our blanks". He covers our momentary lapses with His perfect love and shows us how to do better...next time.

Next time: pills BEFORE oatmeal!

How Not to Grow

Weeds have a habit of choking the life out of our most-loved plants. When the unwanted roots wrap around our "babies", we aren't as conscious of the damage. But when weed vines above ground start wrapping around the plant itself, we must take action and rid them of their attacker.

One of our pepper plants succumbed today, not to a weed vine, but to a "fellow" vegetable cucumber in the next row. We waited too long to rescue it from the choking tendrils, and I fear with the above-normal hot temperatures today it may not survive or will be severely stunted in growth.

As gardeners of our souls, we must be constantly on the lookout for weeds. Those nasty habits and character traits that don't belong in our life. But we also have to be aware of the good and wholesome things that identify us. We can become so absorbed in them that they cause us to be unbalanced and stunted in our spiritual growth too.

As a gardener, we're learning to pull the weeds and to train the vines. Neglect of either can have the same result. Limited growth.

Losing It Twice

I can't believe I lost something twice today. When I first lost my flash drive at home (a small memory device for your computer, no bigger than a small lipstick), it was only after Dean made me stop looking and pray about it that it was found. But then as I left the library, after using the flash drive, I wondered on the way out to the car where I had put it, not imagining that I could possibly have lost it again so soon after all my searching earlier.

It's so easy to lose your way on this Christian walk of ours. You'd think with something as important as our Christianity at stake we wouldn't lose it in the first place. But then we lose our patience, and a little while later we lose our temper. They're almost the same thing. When you lose one, you almost always lose the other.

I think the only solution to any losing problem is prayer. God will show us where to find patience. He'll even help us find our temper. Our sweet, loving one, that is. Thank you, God, for helping us find everything we really need.

P.S. I'd like to show you a picture of that flash drive, but I still haven't found it!!!

Starving on a Full Stomach

My husband's hunger these days knows no bounds. We had a picnic supper with friends out at a lake yesterday and after five slices of pizza, four helpings of potato salad, a considerable amount of cantaloupe, several brownies, and two sodas, the first thing he said when we got home was "Will you fix me a grilled cheese sandwich?"

This afternoon we went to a local hospital for their annual 50 Plus Ice Cream Social. After two man-size helpings of ice cream with mounds of toppings and sauces, plus three big cookies, the first thing he said when we got home was "What's for supper?"

It's a wonder that we're able to keep his weight steady. I'm sure it's the meds that are making him so ravenous, but you can just imagine the dent it makes in my grocery shopping budget. Should we change his dosage again? I really feel sorry for his constant state of dissatisfaction with the amount of food he eats. No matter how much he eats, he still feels a need for more. Is this what starvation feels like?

Many people are starving for God as well. They know they are blessed with much of this world's goods, but they feel in a constant state of dissatisfaction with what they have. No matter how much earthly success and power they have, how many college degrees or beauty titles they earn, how much money they accumulate and spend, or even how much alcohol and other escape substances they abuse their bodies with, they never feel like it is enough. Yes, without God in our life, there will be an empty place in our spirit that only God can fill. When you find yourself in this category, it's time to change the meds. The Master Physician knows just what to prescribe.

You don't have to starve.

Longing to Belong

Our pastor had a great sermon this morning about three things every church must be careful about getting in the right order. First, people who attend must feel they belong. Then, we have the opportunity to share our beliefs with them. And finally, we will see behaviors and lifestyles change. He called them the three B's--belong, believe, and behave. And the order is important.

The pastor emphasized that belonging will happen only as we are accepting of everyone who walks in the church's door. No one should be turned away because of dress or demeanor. Everyone should be made to feel welcome.

As the church's disability awareness person and the wife of a man who has a brain injury and dementia, I pray that our acceptance and patience extends to ALL who worship with us, not just the new person attending the first time. I'm talking about anyone who doesn't fit into our mold of normalcy. Either because of a physically or mentally challenging condition, or someone without the finances or social standing that we are comfortable with.

As a matter of fact, the one sure way of making a visitor feel welcome in our midst is by his observing how we treat those individuals who are different from the norm. How do we measure up in our loving the unlovable, now matter how long they've been attending church? Let's make sure we've made ALL our members feel they belong, and then accepting the new ones will come easy.

God Moments

Yesterday my daughter had a "God moment" when she felt the presence of God in the comforting embrace of a woman who looked just like her grandmother. She was at the animal shelter for an orientation for volunteers and couldn't take her eyes off another volunteer who looked just like my mother, who passed away in 2010. And the tears really came when she introduced herself as Patty, which was Grandma's name! It felt like a long overdue hug from Grandma. Coincidence? Or God ordained?

Then I've been thinking lately that I would sure like to find my nephew a nice microwave at a garage sale this summer, since he's moving into an apartment that doesn't have one. Funds are tight for both of us, but this morning I noticed a sign for a garage sale right up the street with several apartment garages hosting sales. I pulled in, never knowing that the first garage I would walk up to had a table with something on it I could hardly believe. A brand new microwave someone was selling for the ridiculously low price of ten dollars! And that was the exact amount of money I had in my purse! Coincidence? Or God ordained?

I thank God for these God moments. For the realization that He is at my side, and at the side of my family. He knows our needs, even before we ask. His presence is not only real, but is close by us on a personal level...if we are looking for Him.

Here's Kayla getting a hug from Grandma Patty when they were out shopping a few years ago.

And here is the miracle microwave!

Drug Dealing

I was in for a shock when I picked up one of Dean's medicines today from the pharmacy. I'm used to checking to see if they filled the right medicine and the right dosage, and am usually pleased with their attention to those details. But I never expected to have the wrong NAME on the bottle. In other words, to have someone else's medicine instead of Dean's!

They were extremely embarrassed when I called them about it when I got home. They checked the other person's bag and immediately saw their mistake. With all the many, many prescriptions I have had filled for Dean and I the last ten years, I suppose I can forgive them this one slip. Even if it was rather major. How can I do this, I asked myself today? I could have made a major stink and demanded some recourse from the pharmacist himself.

As a caregiver of a man with dementia though, I am in the business of forgiving multiple times daily. Nothing heroic about it. I've just had lots of practice. But I've seen other caregivers struggle with it. Even those who seemingly loved their spouse at one time find themselves unable to forgive and deal with the verbal abuse that spews out on a regular basis.

I know the difference has to be the Lord. Only He can forgive and provide us with the necessary love in our hearts to forgive, as He forgives. "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." The Lord expects us to forgive the way He does.

Whether it's for one big mistake over ten years or for dozens of little "boo-boos" throughout the day, only God can give us the ability to love enough to forgive the way He does. Thank you, Jesus.

The Clueless

Last night at a little after ten o'clock our son-in-law called and asked if we were alright. He was watching the local news on television and it showed the apartment complex at the end of our block with fire trucks and a "haz-mat" team onsite and the entire apartment evacuated outside.

I felt pretty clueless, because we hadn't heard sirens or any kind of alarm, and the action was taking place almost right across the street. How could we be unaware of something that significant almost on our doorstep?

It reminded me of the closeness of Jesus' Second Coming. Will I be totally clueless when that event takes place? Or will I be on my toes and watching for reports, ready to evacuate when needed? Only by reading my Bible and daily talking with God will I be able to hear the sirens on that day. Lord, don't let me be one of the clueless again.

News story about apartment emergency 

Circling Her Way Back Home

Very uneventful day for me, but for my little dog it was quite a romp. At least this morning for about an hour it was. That's how long it took for a neighbor to return our little fugitive.

We usually put her on a leash, but this morning I let her loose to chase a couple of rabbits in our yard, and after a few quick laps around the garden, she chased them right under our backyard fence and beyond. I guess she thought she was just doing a thorough job of alleviating our rabbits, and had no idea she was breaking the "stay in the yard" rule, until she was discovered and deported back to her "home country".

Her reaction to the deportation was to run back and forth in the house a few times. Was she trying to show her happiness and thrill for being back home, or was she sharing with me what she was doing out there in the outside world? In any event, she settled right down to her usual laid-back, napping-all-day self fairly soon.

Sometimes I feel like I'm running so hard in circles that I just veer off and head out of my territory too. Thank goodness, God is there to pick me up and return me to my happy home. It's nice to share where I've been, but it's even nicer to settle down and become myself again.

Tradition!

We had a pleasant time around here today when my daughter's family came over and grilled our lunch outside for Father's Day. Nothing touches my husband more these days than the mention of food. Especially when it includes meat, which I never cook for him. And to watch the little girls play in the wade pool and later with their dollies on a blanket on the grass was an added joy for all of us.

My daughter Kayla and I were bringing back memories when I put The Fiddler on the Roof movie on while they were here. I have always loved the songs on that musical, and besides, it's about a father. Seemed fitting on Father's Day, right? It was funny to hear both of us belting out the songs, and even mimicking the dances. "...Tradition..."!!!

When we had watched as much of the movie as the menfolk would allow, I reminded Kayla that what her girls were listening to and watching today would be with them for the rest of their lives, just like those songs had become a part of her life from listening to them so much when she was very small. I was sobered to think that my influence and tastes were passed along so easily. "...Tradition...!!!

I pray that all parents, mothers and fathers, will take to heart the seriousness of their responsibility to their children. Is what you are doing with them today worth being passed down to later generations? Because that's how far-reaching our influence is. Even as a grandparent, I share that responsibility. I pray that my influence will always be pure and loving to them. Besides being a responsibility, it's a privilege. "...Tradition...!!!

Who Ate the Peaches?

We have an ornamental peach tree in our backyard and the peaches are finally looking ripe. At least they are getting a pink color on them. I say "looking" because, they are still hard as rocks and taste extremely bitter. In years past, I just can't seem to get much of a harvest out of them. By the time, they become edible at all, the insects and birds have gotten to them. Besides, the ones that end up on the ground start smelling and are quite a nuisance.

But today I saw a squirrel feasting on a peach on one of the lower tree branches. I thought to myself, at least someone is enjoying them. It was comical to watch him whittle that peach down. It was like the first radishes we ate from our garden. Or the first watermelon we will get at the Farmer's Market here soon. He was thoroughly enjoying every bite.

I see now that something I didn't value very much, the peaches on my tree, are valuable to someone--those pesky little squirrels.

Likewise, the fruits of my labor may not seem very important, even to me. But someone is going to be blessed by them.

Here's a picture of the peach the squirrel left on my tree ornament. He was eating it right above sleeping grandpa here. Good way to "pass the buck".

Sister's Birthday

Today is my sister's birthday. In observing the interactions of my two little granddaughters I'm reminded of why my sister and I are so close. Did we play with our dolls like they do? Did I try to boss her around a bit as we had our pretend games like Jenna does? Did she try to copy everything I said or did like Julia does? Did one of us cry when the other fell down and got hurt?

Yes, we not only shared our bed, our toys, our clothes, our food, but we shared our childhoods. You hear a lot about sibling rivalry, but sharing siblings are a power to be reckoned with.

Today I am blessed immeasurably by a sister who's gone way beyond the call of duty many times to help a sister who has had special physical needs. She has been there for me on a physical level, but we have both been there for each other's emotional needs as well.

My brother and I have a special relationship too and we love each other dearly, but gender sometimes gets in the way. Maybe that's why the Lord blessed him doubly with two sisters to fill in the gaps.

Sister and brother, if you read this, just know that I treasure you both and want you to always know that I am there for you, even though many miles are between us. But most of all, God is there for the three of us. We can't outlive or outgrow His love.

Chore or Ritual

Our topic for discussion tonight at our brain injury support group was sleep. It seems that we all have different sleep habits and strategies for getting a good night's sleep. Sleeping well has a positive impact on our overall physical and mental health, and is especially needed for brain injury survivors and their caregivers. Put simply, it just makes you feel good.

One thing we talked about was what you do just prior to sleeping. My bedtime chore, since I've been on oxygen, consists of setting up my Bi-PAP machine. Filling the humidifier with distilled water, attaching the hose and oxygen tubing, turning on the oxygen concentrator, putting on the face mask, and finally turning the machine on. All that activity was not conducive to sleep, believe me. And I hated it.

But then last year, a nurse introduced me to a new face mask with a design that allowed me to wear my glasses, rather clumsily, so I could read myself to sleep with the mask and machine already on. For five years, I had missed falling asleep reading a book. Now I don't mind the Bi-PAP setup nearly as much. Instead of a chore, it's just my regular bedtime ritual or routine, a positive strategy to getting a good night's sleep.

It's amazing how the same activity can be perceived in a totally different way, simply by my attitude about it. God is the same way. Some think that anything to do with religion and God is not to be desired. That serving God, attending church, witnessing to our friends and neighbors, or having a personal devotional life are hated chores. But when seen through the lens of love for God, the same things are beloved activities that we cherish and adore.

Knowing and loving God is just like a good night's sleep. It just makes you feel good. Your attitude is what counts. Cultivate a loving one.

Becoming More Chewsy

Twice today I almost choked on some food. They weren't bad episodes, but definitely a call for me to slow down my eating, think while I'm eating, and chew, chew, chew. With my lung power so weak, that is one of my greatest fears. I can't cough up things from my "windpipe" like most people can. So, I can really have a dangerous choking episode on almost anything, including things just floating in the air.

I've lost track how many times people have had to call 911 for me. I've never actually passed out, but the last time my daughter said my lips were blue. It usually happens when I'm in the throes of a chest cold. Hence my dread of getting a cold.

My caution with eating is similar to how I must view life. Just take it one bite at a time. Don't bite off more than I can chew, so they say. And the best part is that's how God delivers our future. One day at a time, and sometimes moment by moment. I can also testify that He's faster than any paramedic. He's even faster than the person calling 911.

I've just talked myself out of my greatest fear. And here's a verse for it: "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." II Timothy 1:7

P.S. I still think I'll chew better tomorrow.

Spring in Heaven

I wouldn't have thought that my nephew from Florida, where they enjoy greenery and tropical trees all year round, would be so excited about a simple vegetable garden here in Nebraska. After his first winter back up North, he has really been thrilled to work with the soil and witness the growth of tiny seeds and plants that he labored so hard to get started.

I think the seasonal changes we experience here make us appreciate the growth and colors of plants so much more. The harshness of winter weather only enhances the spring fever that captivates so many of us. Our salad with dinner tonight tasted so much better with the radishes that we grew ourselves in our very own yard.

Gardening seems to make us feel closer to God, because without His sunshine and rain, nothing would grow. We are partners with Him in a sense. But another reason I think people in general get so much more excited about gardens here in the North is that it follows a long period of cold, unpleasant weather and nature all around us wakes up and becomes green with life again.

It will be the same feeling when we get to heaven. We'll enjoy it all the more because of the hardships endured here on earth during our lifetimes. It will be like entering the most beautiful springtime, multiplied by infinity. I can't wait to wake up in the springtime of heaven and warm up to His love firsthand.

Service With a Smile

Sunday morning has traditionally been our pancake morning. Lately, I've been the main one doing the flipping, but this morning Dean announced that he was going to the kitchen to make our "usual" and asked what I wanted on the first one.

I told him butter and syrup, but a few minutes later he comes back to my room and asks what we can do with a scrambled pancake. He forgot to oil the skillet. Hmmm. I told him to toss it--in the TRASH, I added. He verified again what I wanted on my first cake, and a few minutes later comes in with a plate of food for me and a big smile on his face, saying "Service with a smile." The pancake, although covered with the appropriate syrup, looked woefully pale underneath. Thank heaven it didn't taste raw though, so I happily ate it with gusto. It was nice he still has an accomplishment all his own around here.

I wonder if my efforts to please God are giving Him a chuckle sometimes too. I appear to be doing just fine, in my own eyes, but my works of righteousness must fall awfully short of anything Jesus did. All I can really offer Him is my "service with a smile". Joyful willingness counts for a lot.

(Latest report from the kitchen: one burned pancake and one raw on one side. Sounds like I'm the lucky one in the middle.)

Pushing Pills

I have come to see how really freeing it has been to have home health nurses visit our house every week. Our regular nurse, who usually fills Dean's pill organizer, wasn't scheduled to come last week and I forgot to ask the other nurse till it was too late. So Sunday morning I was up bright and early, sorting and filling the pill box. It felt odd doing it myself again. I had mixed feelings.

I had some guilt feelings about having the nurse do it in the first place a few months ago. It's not much work really. Plus at first I was worried she would make mistakes. It was hard to turn over the responsibility to someone else. I had so much ownership in it.

I slowly enjoyed not having to "push" the pills into that little box though. And then the feeling suddenly hit me this week that maybe I deserved to be free of the task. After all, I had done it religiously for over ten years. It's about time to turn it over to someone who will get paid for it.

The bath aides who help him shower three times a week have also been a blessing. They not only relieve my mind about him falling in the shower, but I don't have to argue with him about whether to shampoo. They keep track of it in their reports. How many years I have struggled with these issues on my own. It's nice to have reinforcements there to lighten the load even a little.

All I can say is that God knew when the time was right for the nurses to come on the scene. It wouldn't have happened if Dean hadn't fractured his foot last summer. Of all his falls over the years, this was the first one resulting in a fracture. Also, our case manager was temporarily changed, and she was experienced enough to know that we needed help around here, so she arranged for the home health agency to offer care.

All was ripe for this intervention and I have no doubt that God, our primary Case Manager, was overlooking the whole operation. And will continue to do so...

The Good and the Bad

Dean and I had a special day today. We celebrated our 36th wedding anniversary. According to Dean, no celebration is complete unless it involves eating out, so it was nice to have our son-in-law and daughter come to our rescue and take us out to eat for supper.

For all the joy of the anniversary, there were also some bittersweet moments. Earlier in the day, Dean and I went to visit a friend from years ago who recently had an accident resulting in a traumatic brain injury. It was very emotional for me to go to Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital and see Lloyd in basically the same condition as Dean was when he was there twelve years ago. Lloyd was not very responsive, but from the reports I've heard, he is making good progress in recovering from a coma, similar to the one Dean had following his tractor accident in 1999.

This sure shows how life has its ups and downs. Our wedding gave us many happy memories. But the day of the accident was not so good. We must take the bad along with the good just because we live in a world polluted with sin. But the nice part is that God does not leave us when times get tough. If anything, He draws closer. We just have to look for Him.

Three days after Dean's accident I thought to look at my new medical insurance card and was amazed that the day it became effective was the day of his accident. The thought of it still makes me shiver. God had not deserted us. He was very much in control, when it seemed that only chaos reigned in our lives. But where there is chaos, there is also peace. The bad and the good. Look for it.

Getting My Voice Back

I was flattered when the studio director at Christian Record Services called me recently to ask if I'd like to start narrating again, after a winter off. After a couple of tries, I guess I'm back on the volunteer reader list. I've always enjoyed reading to children in my classes, so I just pretend I'm reading to a group of eager young listeners, even though the setting is more like a professional radio broadcasting studio.

It's been a mystery to me how people can say they like the sound of my voice on their audio books. I have a couple of blind friends who have told me they enjoy my reading, but I question whether they are saying it just to make me feel good.

Calvin, the studio director, explained to me that we always sound different to ourselves, because we are hearing through our own ears and heads, from the inside out, not the outside in. Our heads evidently have a way of cushioning or insulating our voice, giving it a different sound than others hear.

I'm thankful there is a God who hears us, both inside and out, and loves us anyway. Now that's the real mystery.

 (See  www.christianrecord.org to help the blind have Christian reading materials.)

Just a Tree

Thirteen years in this house and I've always wanted to do something with this tree in my front yard. My mom even hinted about it when she was still alive, suggesting that it would be a good place to plant hostas. But it's just been such a low priority with everything else to do around here that nothing ever got done to the tree. The weeds that took root and grew around the tree every year were always an eyesore. I tried planting some wildflowers once, but nothing happened.

Today my nephew and son-in-law, in an attempt to please me, got inspired to do something with my embarrassingly ugly tree. So they cut down the weeds, put some plastic down, then some mulch, and straightened up the border. Simple, inexpensive, and not even very time-consuming. But, oh what a difference it made to my front yard! Why did we wait so long?

Indeed, why do I wait so long to do many things in my life? Sometimes I do pull or cut down some bad habit weeds, but if that's all I do, it won't last. The decision has to be made, efforts have to taken, costs have to be paid, and remedial beautification work has to be done. It isn't always easy, but the result will make all the difference.

I'll undoubtedly be making beautification changes to my character till the day I die. Just as the housing projects will never all get done, there will always be character changes calling for my attention.

I'm keeping my eye on those eaves and gutters for the house before next winter, guys. Thanks for keeping this ol' house serviced for me. I lost my handyman husband, but gained a son-in-law and nephew. You are treasures.

The Party

There wasn't going to be a birthday party for my just-turned-two granddaughter today. At least nothing was planned beyond an immediate family thing. But then one set of grandparents wanted to come "visit", meaning two uncles and an aunt with them. Plus their close friends, another couple with two small children, said they were going to stop by. So this set of grandparents, Dean and I, was invited to join. And next thing you know my daughter had to rush out and get some pizzas to go with the cake and ice cream.

It ended up being a totally unplanned, spontaneous party--the best kind. Why is that the best kind? Because planning and preparation often ends up being too much work for someone. And parties are meant to be fun, not work.

Of course, when it's being done for someone you love, it isn't considered work. That's why the longest planned, most prepared party in the universe (when Jesus takes us home to heaven at His Second Coming) will not involve any "work".

All the preparation for that event will be done out of love and it will be the best party of all.

We All Sacrifice

At least two milestones touched me today. First, this is my 200th blog post. Working on a year's worth. At least that's my goal. And I'm enjoying them very much.

But there was another event that topped even that. Dean let our nephew trim his mustache today! Aside from just a couple of snips, I don't think it's seen a pair of scissors for over a year now. Needless to say, I'm ecstatic with his new civilized look.

He and I went to a church meeting tonight. The first in a long time. Just testing the waters...

Thanks, babe. I know you did it for me. That's what sacrifice is all about.