SO MANY BLESSINGS!!!!!!!!!

I'm so sorry that I never got back to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, but I sure hope you all enjoyed many Blessings throughout the entire Season :) The new chemo drug (Ixempra) has prooven to be horrid, yet our Blessings were still quite plentiful in spite of it all.

Our Dear Friend, Mary, delivered 2 wonderful meals ... the first one being baked ziti, her wonderful homemade carrot cake and this fabulous platter of cookies. With Gene and his infamous "sweet tooth," he was quite the happy camper. Then on Christmas Eve she and her Sister, Rita, delivered a wonderful assortment of goodies ... shrimp salad, spinach dip, sausage and peppers and another tray of sweets ... definitely angels from above :)

My Dear Friend, Barbara, from MA had this beautiful little tree delivered to our doorstep :)


And my Dear Friend, Patricia, from GA had this adorable little tree delivered ......



....... along with these beautiful flowers!!!

And last for this post, but certainly not least, my Dear Friend, Janet, from CA sent these gorgeous roses.

I was soooooooo grateful for all these wonderful Christmas decorations cuz with the exception of the little gold tree below, I plain and simply wasn't up to putting up any of ours. Their love and generosity sure did brighten both my heart and our home and I love them all dearly :) I continue to be amazed at how much one person can be so abundantly blessed.

I'm happy to report that I now only have two more chemo treatments to go; and you can truly believe me when I say "I am literally sitting on pins and needles" waiting for this all to be behind me. We did a 2nd Pet Scan after the first cocktail of drugs and there was lots of improvement ... the lymph nodes didn't light up nor did the 2 nodules in my lungs. Needless to say, we were celebrating down here in Davie and sending oodles of Praises up :)

Thank you so much for your continued love, prayers and support and the Happiest of New Years to you all :)

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 20:11)

SUCH A LOVELY SURPRISE!!!

Oh my, I've been MIA for over a month!!! I continue to be so amazed at how time flies by so quickly and I'm having a hard time comprehending that the year will soon be over. I am literally aging as I speak!!!


It's been a tough month treatment wise; but because of the love of some very dear friends, I was blessed with one beautiful afternoon ... a few hours of blissful normalcy and it was absolutely and unequivacably wonderful!!!! It was also a total and complete "surprise :)"

On Friday a few weeks ago I got a call from my friend's Daughter-in-Law ... the lovely young gal who brought us a wonderful meal a while back; and she said she had something for me and asked if she could stop by the next day. I was thrilled to be getting some company, so I gussied up as much as this 'ole body can gussy up and sat anxiously awaiting her and her little girl's arrival. Imagine my surprise when I saw 3 cars pull in the driveway and saw 4 of my dear friends get out!!!!!!!!! Gail from Eustis, FL ... Mary from Cocoa Beach ... Polly from MD and Sue from NY. Carol and her little girl, Sadie, were with them as well :) I simply could not believe my eyes!!!!!!!!!!!! After a lot of hugs and kisses, they kidnapped me and we headed over to the Beach for some lunch at Aruba's.



Pictured above is all of us except Carol and Sadie ... from left to right, it's Gail, Mary, Polly and Sue with me lazily sitting; and in front of us is the quilt that they presented me with!!!! OMG, it is gorgeous and there was also a little one that matched for Dolly Darlene :) It was made by 38 of the most wonderful women you could ever meet and it brightened my world more than they could ever possibly imagine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




The quilts even came with their own "tote bag," which was beautifully made by my friend, Janet, out in CA.






Ohhhhh and Carol did what she said she was gonna do on Friday ... she brought me something; and it was this adorable pumpkin that she made out of a piece of "dryer hose venting." Isn't that ingenius!!!!!!!!!!




As far as the treatments go, yes it's true ..................................



..................... but all the love that continues to come our way certainly helps tremendously; and for that, I am ever so grateful :) May God Bless all these lovely ladies for brightening my world so immensely :)


On the medical front, I am happy to report that I made it through the first cocktail of drugs; and I was so happy, I considered dancing in the streets. I did have to have a "needle biopsy" a few weeks ago; but by the Grace of God, it came back negative :) I've been having a lot of problems with this shunt that is in my head; and the powers to be have come to the conclusion that it's "over shunting," so on Tuesday, I head back down to Miami to have it tied off. If that doesn't work, they will insert a new one with a programmable valve. I wasn't overly thrilled about having it done the week of Thanksgiving cuz Aunt Margaret is coming down; but Dr. T (Oncologists) felt it was important to get it done before we start the new trial drug (Ixempra) on the 29th.


I hope to one day soon get back into my normal routine of visiting all my favorite Blogs and I so appreciate all the love that y'all have sent my way through out this little battle I've been in. Wishing you all a very Blessed Thanksgiving :)


"Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever." (Psalm 107:1)

THE BEAUTIFUL FACES OF "FRIENDSHIP!"

Awwwwww, "friendship!" One of our greatest gifts in life, and would you look at these beautiful faces!!!!

This picture was taken this week where all these lovely ladies gathered in NC on the beautiful Lake Logan for four days of "queelting, laughing, talking, eating, drinking and all the other good things that happen when a fabulous group of gals come together :)" It was my intention to join them this year, but it just wasn't meant to be. They've already booked for the next three years; and God willing, I'll be joining them then :) It is with great pleasure that I introduce you to:

Bottom Row Left to Right: Mary from FL, Patricia from CO, Annie from MD, Jan from OK, Eileen from MD and Shirley from IN :)

Top Row Left to Right: Meddy from NY, Meg from IA, Mary Lynn from TN, Patricia from GA, Vicki from OK, Debbie from NC, Barbara from MA and Janet from PA :)

In The Back: Ann from TN :)

..... and wearing their wonderful shirts for yours truly :) How can I ever thank them!!!!!!!!! I just love them each and everyone to pieces :)

This next photo is a gathering of some very dear friends from my youth :) They are all still located in TN, and they gathered one evening in my honor ... I had no idea they were doing it at the time cuz they wanted to surprise me with the pictures :)

Once again, with great pleasure, please meet from left to right:

Jenny, Laine, Pam, Meg, Janie, Tissie, Tony, Pat, Allison and Elaine :) OMG, when I saw this picture, I was touched beyond words!!!!!!!! Soooooooo many years have passed since I last saw these beautiful souls, but because of Facebook, we have all come back together again; and would you look at the wonderful T-shirt they signed and sent :)

It was actually "hand delivered" by Elaine, pictured below :) She was down in my neck of the woods for her birth of her new twin grandchildren ... one healthy, adorable little girl; and one healthy, adorable little boy :) It was such a joy seeing her!!!!!

In talking about "friendship," there's no way I could not include this beautiful lady. Please meet Diane. She holds a very special place in our hearts. She worked for us for several years until recently. The economy has taken such a terrible toll on our business, that we had to let her go. It broke my heart ... it broke Gene's heart ... literally!!!!!! She has so many problems in her own world, but that has never stopped her from reaching out to others in such a loving way; and she has been a Godsend to us through out this cancer journey. She has driven me countless times to Doctor appointments ... she's cleaned our house, bathed Dolly Darlene and soooooooooooo much more!!! She is one of the angels walking amongst us and I love her dearly :)

All these beautiful people have helped me more than they could possibly ever know ... their love, support and prayers has been a blessing and a gift that words simply cannot describe. I will be forever grateful to each and everyone of them :) So if any of you are reading, thank you ... from the bottom of my heart, thank you ... may all the goodness tht you've given Gene and I come back to you threefold!!!! God Bless you all :)

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

THE MOST WONDERFUL SURPRISE VISIT :)

And that "most wonderful surprise visit" was from my Sister, Pam!!! She flew in from IN last Wednesday so she could go to Chemo #2 with me; and there's no way ... I mean it's impossible ... to tell y'all how wonderful it was to have her here. I'm telling ya that the Good Lord put her here in Davie at the most absolute perfect time!!! Her presence warmed my heart and kept a smile on my face :) Mr. Gene, of course, enjoyed seeing her as well :)

I gotta tell ya that she is absolutely gorgeous too!!! She's 2 years older than me, but she looks 10 years younger; and that not's an easy thing for a "little sister" to admit too (LOL). Anyway, this is the one and only picture I got of her while she was here ... she's on the left and my wonderful, life saving Sister-in-Law, Betsy is on the right, who I'm sure you will agree is also gorgeous :)

I was so happy that they met cuz they sure spent a lot of time on the phone together during the whole "brain thingie."

Betsy hand delivered some delicious homemade lasagna on that day, some homemade turkey soup and the most absolutely awesome "Scrapbook of Love and Support," which I will share in another post. You'll need to have your tissue ready when I get that one done :)

Round #2 of chemo was last Thursday and it took a whopping 5 hours. They were overloaded with gals fighting this wicked disease ... I've had the pleasure of sitting and visiting with some of the most precious souls you'd ever wanna meet during my last 2 treatments; and they truly try to accomodate the patient's family. In spite of the overload, they allowed Pam to stay with me the entire time. My chemo Nurse, Kathy, who is an angel here on Earth, just works her way around the "visiting folks" with a smile on her face :) Such a blessing!!!!

Pam got to stay till Sunday morning, so we had lots of time for visiting afterwards; and she took such good care of me!!!!!!!!!! She fixed us 2 delicious meals (chicken and rice ... tenderloin, mashed taters, green beans and fried apples), did the grocery shopping, drove me on some errands, took me back to Dr. T's office for that "dreaded N" shot and took me to pick out some scarves for this bald head of mine. Unfortunately, everyone in Davie was out shopping that day, so we were back home quite quickly. The economy is awful down here in FL, but I swear, you would think things were booming based on the crowds that were out.

Now for the bestest news ... she says she'll be back; and I am already looking sooooooooooo forward to it :)

On the medical front, it's probably safe to say that chemo kicked my butt the 2nd time around. It's strange really cuz it seems like it puts you on a roller coaster ride heading only downwards. It starts out really slow and then "wham bam," you're going at the speed of lightening. At least that's the way my body feels. The main issue I think would have to go to fatigue ... OMG, I've never been sooooooo tired in my whole life. That probably wouldn't be so much of an issue if it hadn't been for the steroids for the "brain swelling" trying it's dangest to counteract it all, so rest hasn't come easy. The "plumbing" seems to wanna shut down completely too (so sorry for that visual); and a couple of days ago, I started getting some pretty uncomfortable sores in my mouth ... way deep inside near my throat ... "Rootbeer Floats" help (LOL). The nausea has been much, much better than Round #1. They think that was due to the brain tumor. I did have to pull out my Compazine Script yesterday; but that's OK cuz that stuff really does work :) I'm also having a lot of discomfort in my knees, legs and hips, which I believe is from the "N" shot (can't remember the whole name) that they give you the 2nd day to build back up your white blood cells.

I went down to Miami for my follow up visit with the "amazing" Dr. Wolf on Monday (thank you Paul for driving me!!!!); and I have to say it was the strangest Doctor's visit I've ever been to. He walked in, asked how I was feeling, took the staples out (ouch) and then sat down to look at my chart. He was not a happy camper cuz his girls had not ordered a CT Scan, so within a matter of just a few moments, I was whisked off to that machine and back in seeing him. He walked in, said the "ventricles" (whatever the heck they are) looked good, that I could stop taking the medicine straight from hell (thank you Jesus), not to get my head wet till the next day and that he'd see me in 3 weeks for a MRI and visit. He proceeded to stand up, took my hand and said "take care sweetie." (LOL) His front desk couldn't get the MRI coordinated with him "being in the building" until November 3rd, which was AOK with me :)

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit. Sure hope all is well with all of you and we continue to thank you for your love, support and prayers :)

"And now these three remain: faith, hoPe and love, but the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13)

HE STILL LOVES ME AFTER ALL THESE YEARS :)

And that particular "he" would be my honey ... the wonderful man I fell in love with a life time ago :) After we received the good news on the spinal cord fluid last week, he came out dressed and ready to go somewhere. Many of you know that he suffers from "severe multilevel spinal stenosis," so this is not a sight you see often in our home cuz "going somewhere" doesn't come easily for him. Well, that's when he announced he was going to get his hair cut! He hasn't driven in quite some time now, so I said "I can't drive you today." He said "I know, I'm gonna drive myself." Well, I normally would have fussed about that; but since I didn't have a whole heck of alot of energy to fuss, I let him go cuz I thought he was just trying to do something to make his Bride happy cuz as you can see, it had been quite some time since he felt like going out for a hair cut!!! We were getting very close to "pony tail" status with a Santa Claus beard.

Well that dear sweet man not only got his hair cut ... he had it all removed so we would be "twins!!!!" I had absolutely no idea whatsoever those were his intentions and was quite emotional and elated to say the least when I realized that's what they were!!! He looks pretty dern handsome, dontcha think!!!!

Because of a language barrier, he said he had a hard time explaining to the Barber what he wanted; and in doing so, the gentleman in the chair next to him heard the entire conversation. Well, when Gene got up to the Counter to pay, the lady informed him that it had already been taken care of by another customer!!!! The gentlemen sitting next to him paid for the hair cut and asked the lady to tell Gene that he would be praying for him and his wife. Shere, absolute and total proof that there is still very much goodness in this World :) The priceless moments in our lives continue to mount :)

Thank you my love!!!!!!!! My heart is with you every moment of every day and has been for over 35 years :) Love you most!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"For this Reason, a man will leave his Father and Mother and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh." (Mathew l9:5)

WHAT A DIFFERENCE 24 HOURS CAN MAKE

Tuesday evening 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday evening 7:00 p.m. Soooooooo thankful this one is blurry!!!! (LOL)

Basically, it's been a "whirlwind" of a week down here in Davie where I'm supposed to be queeeelting but can't seem to get back to it ; and here's how that "whirlwind" has played out.

Friday ... MRI of the Brain.

Saturday ... Report back showing Brain Tumor. Radiologists thinking that it is benign.

Monday ... met with Dr. T (Oncologists). She sends me immediately over to
the Hospital for a CT Scan. She would not give an opinion just yet on whether we were dealing with a Benign tumor or a Metastasis (hate that word ... I'm not even sure if I know how to spell the silly thing) to the Brain.

Tuesday ... by the Grace of God, with the help of Dr. T and with the expertise of my Dear Sister-in-Law Tracey, who works with all the Doctor's at U.T. Hospital in our home town (Knoxville, TN), we managed to get in to see one of the best Neursurgeons in the Country, Dr. Wolf, down at Doctor's Hospital in Coral Gables, FL, which is about an hour, give or take, from our house. He said it was not a benign tumor ... that it was malignant and needed to come out immediately, so I went home, got some things together and we went back and checked in through the Emergency Room that evening.

After getting settled in the Room, I was blessed with a wonderful male Nurse, who happened to be ............................... yes a "quilter!!!!!!!!" Amazing :) There's a lot of paperwork involved in a "check in;" but it took us much, much longer cuz we couldn't quit talking about "queeelting!" (LOL)

Wednesday 5:00 am ... was taken down to the "Gammal Knife Room" and they miraculously and totally uninvasively sent that nasty tumor to timbucktwo with radiation galore and equipment that probably costs more than ... uhmmmmmmm, let me think ... let's say the "Tajmahal!"

Wednesday 5:00 pm ... Because the tumor had damaged my brain's normal ability to move the fluid around, was taken down to surgery for the insertion of a shunt in my brain and a long tube to push that fluid down to my tummy.

The following night was shere misery ... brutal headaches and the worse steroid buzz on the face of the Earth. I didn't think it would ever end; and all I could think about was our Daughter and all the steroids and pain meds she had to take through the years. That sweet child was definitely with her Little Mommy that night ... I felt certain she held my hand and got me to the other side :)

Thursday ... Made it back home ... absolutely no place like it :) We still had one more hurdle to cross, as we were waiting for the pathology report from the spinal cord fluid. There was a possibility that the brain tumor from the devil himself might have let go of some cells into the spianal cord fluid. We were told that if that was the case, there would be nothing anyone could do for me. I'm happy to report that I slept like a baby ... I had a sense of peace surrounding me that was so sureal. I felt like I was wrapped in the comfort of God's arms and that He spent the night listening to all the many prayers that I knew were going up. It's the most amazing feeling in the world to put all your trust in God and the people who are praying for you ... an experience of a life time!!!!!!!!

Friday ... Well, I'm happy to report that the spinal cord fluid was clear; and now that the evil malignant tumor is gone, I go back to fighting the initial culprit, the Breast cancer, next Thursday :) God is good :)

There are no words to describe the appreciation Gene and I have in our hearts for all the prayers that we know have been said on our behalf. May goodness and mercy follow all of you good folks all the days of your lives :)

There are also no words to describe the appreciation Gene and I have in our hearts for the love, support and help beyond comprehension that we received from my Dear Brother-in-Law, Paul, and his lovely Bride, Betsy, this week. They were our God Send's because we literally could not have survived without them. We are so abundantly blessed.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God, and the peace of God , which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Phillippians 4:6-7)

HOUSTON, WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've always liked that saying ... well, I didn't like the fact that they had a problem and I've often wondered what the problem actually was; but it does go along with so many things in life, dontcha think!!!

Ya see, it appears that I have a "Brain Tumor" of all things. Talk about bad timing; but it is what it is what it is!!!! At least we now know why I've been having all these extra problems ... bad vision for about 6 weeks, getting weaker every day, getting dizzier by the minute and headaches that without a doubt are straight from hell. I just couldn't phathom that this was all from the Breast Cancer ... it just didn't make sense; and now we know ... it's from that nasty tumor in my brain :( I think it's safe to say that I don't like that thing!!!!!

We just found out this morning actually and it was a bit of a shock. They wanted me to check into the hospital to remain under observation over the weekend; but I gotta tell ya, I'd rather eat a green fly and managed to convince Dr. T (Oncologists) that my honey could observe me and I'd be a heck of a lot more comfy here at home :) She called me in some meds that will hopefully reduce the swelling in the brain. She will go by the Hospital Monday morning and pick up the actual films, which is how she likes to see things; and then I will meet her at her Office at 9:00 a.m. She has spoken to two Neuro Surgeons who she highly recommends and it sounds like they might all agree that it will be better to do Radiation to try to shrink the tumor before considering any surgery, which is AOK with me :)

At this point, she does not even think that it's related to the Breast Cancer; and they don't even know if we're dealing with a malignancy or a benign tumor. I'm hanging my hopeful hat on the "benign peg." Eight years ago, both of my ovaries were covered with monsterous masses ... all of which was benign, so I'm thinking we could be blessed once again :) I did ask her if my life was in danger and she said "yes it was." Now that I think about it, it probably wasn't a smart question cuz a brain tumor would have a tendency to put your life in danger, dontcha think!!!!!

Lawdy daisy, just a few short months ago I thought I was healthy as a horse; and now look at me. We truly do not know what tomorrow will bring so I say "enjoy each day and graciously accept it for the wonderful gift it is; and speaking of gifts, would you look at what my friends sent me!!!

Not just one, but 2 of 'em, which I wore to my first chemo ... well I actually only wore of 'em, but you probably knew that (LOL). Now the nicest and most loving part of this story is that all these friends also ordered one for themselves and those beautiful women wore them on the day of my first treatment as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know there were over 60 shirts ordered, so can you imagine!!!!! These wonderful friends are located all across the Country too ... the same group of friends that made those 3 gorgeous quilts for us in Micki's memory. Our group has grown since then and we meet daily on-line. I've had the wonderful pleasure of meeting quite a few of them in person through the years and I cannot tell you how much I love each and everyone of 'em :)

In closing, I humbly ask all of you for your prayers and I thank you for all the ones that you've already sent up on our behalf :) I also thank you for your lovely comments :) God Bless :)

"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death." (Phillippians3:10)

UPDATE :)

Please forgive me for staying gone for so long and for another "photoless" post!!! I have soooooooooo many people to thank and so many lovely things to show you all, but I'm afraid I need a few more days to get my act together.

Chemo started last Thursday; and as much as I hate to admit it, it truly kicked my butt ... still kicking it actually and I never dreamed those nasty side effects would be hanging around so long. I do think today was a tad bit better though, so I'm hopeful for even more improvement tomorrow :)

I do believe all of this would be so much easier if I could see properly. I got my new lenses last week, but they unfortunately did not do the trick :( In all fairness, I can see somewhat better; but it's a far cry from my normal vision. I go back to the Eye Doc tomorrow, so I'm praying hard he can fix me!!!!!!!!!!

I also have a Brain MRI on Thursday to make sure this Triple Negative Cancer hasn't gone anywhere it's not welcome. Two days ago, I got the worse possible headache imagineable; and I will have to say that it scared me. I've had headaches off and on my entire life, but I have never ever experienced one so brutal. It finally subsided when Gene wrapped my head and neck in ice. God Bless him cuz I know that wasn't easy for him to do!!!

We got the results of the Pet Scan; and unfortunately, the left tata lit up ... it's either new disease or remnants of the infection I had for so long. The remaining axillary nodes that weren't removed lit up as well, which I truly hated to hear. I think it's probably safe to say that I will end up with a mastectomy before all of this is over; but for the time being, Dr. T. wants to continue forward with the chemo. I also had 2 small nodules in my lung light up. They are too small to biopsy (thank you Lord!!!!). Dr. T says that if they shrink, she will have to presume they are malignant ... if they remain the same size, then everything should be OK :) It's no wonder cancer patients fear scans sooooooooo bad!!!!!!!!

I have to send out a very special thank you to my Dear Sister-in-Law, Betsy. She insisted upon going to Chemo with me and I was soooooooooo grateful that she was there!!!! She made the whole process so much easier ... she even picked me out an adorable wig, which I'll show you soon :) Dr. T has lots of them to choose from and says to "help yourself :)" Isn't that nice!!!! Betsy also did our grocery shopping on Sunday and came over and cleaned our bathrooms and put new sheets on the bed. There was no way I could have done any of those things and I will be forever grateful for all her help all the days of my life :)

I also need to send out a very special thank you to my Dear Friend, Diane. Another God Send in our world :) That beautiful lady has so many problems of her own, but she puts the needs of everyone else before her own on a day to day basis. She's bathed Dolly several times, cleaned our kitchen and living room, fixed my hair and carted me all over town to Doctor Appt after Doctor Appt; and she's gonna do it again tomorrow :) I keep telling her I can drive, but she doesn't trust my eyes (LOL). I'm sure the good folks of Davie would thank her :)

The thank you's will continue as I haven't even begun to talk about all the love and kindness that has come our way. It leaves me totally speechless each and every day :)

Blessings to you all :)

"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of lifte that God has promised to those who love Him." (James 1:12)

WHAT A DIFFERENCE AN HOUR CAN MAKE!!!

Saturday 9:00 a.m.

Saturday 10:00 a.m.!!!!!

I know I look a bit like "death warmed over," but I wanted to show you all my new short hair anyway :) My eyes are sooooooooooo bad right now, so I can't stay long. Just a few minutes on the computer, and I get the worse possible headache imagineable!!! I'll be back soon tho and I hope to visit all my favorite Blogs then :) Blessings to you all :)

"For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

HOW WILL I EVER SAY THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

All I can say is "Oh My Gosh!!!!" The love that has been sent our way is mind boggling ... absolutely and unequivicably "mind boggling." It is sooooooooo incredibly awesome and I wish everyone I love and care about could feel what I feel today!!! It has literally warmed me from head to toe; and I swear, I believe that Jesus has reached down from Heaven and wrapped his loving arms around me cuz when I close my eyes, that's exactly how I feel :)

Every single day love comes to us through the phone lines and/or via a very special delivery; and it's very possible that it will take me a month of posts to tell you about each and every kindness. It's like "where in the world do I begin!!!!!!!"

I first wanna thank my Dear Brother-in-Law, Paul, and his lovely Bride, Betsy. They are our only family in Florida and they truly stepped up to the plate to help us out when we needed it the most. With Gene's disability, the last thing I wanted was for him to be in the waiting room while I was having Surgery cuz I knew it would put him in terrible pain for days, so Paul not only got me to surgery on time; but he also stayed and waited till I was ready to go home. I'm happy to report that he didn't have to drag me screaming and kicking either, unlike what Gene had to endure 8 years ago on our way to my Hysterectomy :) Betsy also came to the Surgical Center to wait after she dropped the kids off from camp. I cannot tell you how much easier they made it for me!!! Knowing that Gene was at home resting and waiting for my return was the "big girl panties" I needed for the day :) God Bless them both cuz they endured my "all time high" from the "after surgery meds!!!" (LOL)

They didn't stop there either cuz Betsy took me to my next two Doctor appointments and Paul took me to my third, along with a trip to Publix and two trips to Walgreens :) Betsy also cooked us three Heavenly meals ... "meatballs and sauce, stuffed cabbage and chicken noodle soup;" and they were sooooooo delicious :) I hate I didn't get a picture of them for y'all!!! Perhaps that's a good thing cuz it would only make you want some :)

I can remember only one thing after surgery and that would be Betsy's purse!!! I, of course, was so happy to see her; but I simply could not take my eyes off her purse (LOL) ... it was sooooooo dern cute; and can you believe that when she came back to the house she had me one of my very own!!! Isn't it adorable :)

We were also blessed with food from our dear friend and best guy in our Business, Scottie. He used to be a chef; and he has delighted me for years with his homemade goodies!!! This time it was "Shepherds Pie" and a scrumptious salad; and nope, I didn't get a picture :( He's also delivered to our front door step "Coffee Coolattas" from Dunkin Donuts on an almost daily basis. Have I ever told you all that I've been addicted to them for years now??? I am really, really addicted!!! So much so, my friends at Dunkin Donuts will send out a "Search Party" whenever I don't show up for my daily fix ... I am truly their best customer :)

On the night of our Anniversary (#35), my Dear Friend, Polly, in MD had our dinner delivered to our front door step!!! She simply "Googled" Restaurants in our area and made an exceptional choice ... "Lasagna, Chicken and Brocolli Alfredo, Garlic Rolls, Tiramsu" and what Gene dubbed as the best thing since applie pie ... "Key Lime Cheese Cake!" Wasn't that the sweetest thing ever!!! I could just slap myself silly for not getting pictures of all these scruptious meals!!!

My dear, sweet friend, Gail, up in Eustis, FL, was sitting there trying to figure out how she could get a homecooked meal to Gene and I when it dawned on her that her Son and his family lived right here in Davie, so she called her Daughter-in-Law and asked her to cook us a meal :) I couldn't have been happier cuz not only was the meal absolutely outstanding (Gail's Chicken 'n Rice), but I got to spend some quality time with Carol and her precious Sadie :)

I cannot tell you how good all this food was!!!! So much so, I have to confess to eating lots of it for not only supper, but for breakfast as well :) Thank you all sooooooooo very much!!! Thank you for making this journey we have found ourselves on an awful lot easier :) May God Bless you each and everyone with an abundance of goodness all the days of your life :)

On the health front, I'm afraid I've been "grouchy!!!" Yes, it's true (LOL). Dr. Levy has had to asspirate and asspirate and asspirate this left tata till both it and I are blue; and can you believe that it's the first time he's had this happen!!! Doesn't surprise me one little bit (LOL). The "low grade" fever has been relentless because of that fluid buildup, but I am soooooo happy to say that I think it's gone!!!!!!! Here I sit with no fever whatsoever and it makes me happy enough to consider dancing in the street nekkid :)

He told me on Monday that it was gonna take a good 6 to 8 weeks to get over this surgery; and as much as I like that dear sweet man, I came very close to slapping him silly!!! Dang, why in the world didn't he tell me this up front. Perhaps he knew I'd run away :) The "under arm" situation is about to get on my last nerve, but I will continue to do my best to just deal with it :)

I did go see the new Oncologist last week (Dr. K); and although I liked him an awful lot, I wasn't overly fond of his offices or his staff. I don't know how to describe it other than the fact that "it gave me a bad feeling." We actually spent 1/2 our time debating a "mastectomy." He kept saying he thought I needed one and couldn't understand why I would wanna keep a "diseased breast." I kept asking him to give me a good reason for putting myself through surgery again. Also, could he promise me if I let him remove this thing that I've been toting around for 55 years now, could he assure me the cancer would NOT come back. Well, of course, the answer was a big flat "no!!!" Well, I'm happy to report that he called me the very next morning ... he said he had spent the evening researching; and he could not find any data to support the need for me to have a mastectomy right now. Halleluya and Praise the Lord!!! Not only was that good news, but it was sooooooo refreshing to hear a Doctor admit he was wrong :)

Dr. K did some Labwork and I'm happy to report that there is no "tumor activity" in my body right now :) Gene and I were elated to hear that!!! He also had the Pathologists re-run the HER2 under the "fish method" in hopes of getting it to change to a positive. Getting a "positive" could have changed my treatment options. It wasn't meant to be tho cuz it still came back "negative," so I'm still a "Triple" on that front.

I've got another appoinment with a 2nd Oncologist here in Davie tomorrow. She's a "lady," but I'm afraid I can't pronounce her name to save my life!!! She's been specializing in "Ovarian and Breast Cancers" for over 20 years and I am anxious to meet her :) "Convenience" is certainly a factor; and I swear, you can't get any more "convenient" than she is :) Besides, "treatment" for the "Triple Negative" is "across the board" all over the Country, so I imagine I'll do OK with whoever I choose :)

After I meet with her, I go back to see Dr. Levy. I imagine he'll have to aspirate again, but I'm OK with that, especially since the fever is now history :)

Well, I think that about catch's me up. I'll be back very soon to share oodles of more kindnesses that we've received :) Ohhhh, but before I go, I must say "thank you" for all the kind comments you gals have been leaving. I soooooooooo appreciate your love, your support and your prayers :) I am truly blessed!!!!!!!!!!

"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interest of others. Have this attitude in yourself, which was also in Christ Jesus, who although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped but emptied Himself taking the form of a bond-servant and being made in the likeness of man." (Philippians 2:3-7)

PATHOLOGY

Talk about a confusing bunch of papers!!! These Pathology Reports are like hyrogliphics!!! Is that a real word??? Anyway, I got my "Final" Report on Thursday; and I spent hours and hours trying to decipher it all. All I can say is "thank you Lord" for "Google" and for "BreastCancer.Org" It all makes my heart hurt for the gals who didn't have these things at the tip of their fingers not so long ago. So, the "Internet" gets a "check" for being one of the "good things" in this situation I've found myself in :)

You're probably wondering why that sweet, kind and wonderful Dr. Levy didn't decipher it all for me. I was actually wondering the same thing and I think it's due to the fact that he knows it's time for the Oncologist to take over. He's also been focusing all of his intention on this "infection" that won't go away. It's still a mystery too, but it did make him make the decision to remove the "drain tubes" and I'm so very happy to report that I didn't feel a thing!!! He also removed the staples, which went just as smoothly. Boy did I ever thank our Heavenly Father for all of that :)

He decided to change my Antibiotics, which I thought was doing the trick Saturday during the day ... but I'll be a son of a gun if the fever didn't start back up again last night. It's starting to piss me off now (LOL).

Anyway, it appears that I have "Triple Negative" Invasive "Ductal" Carcinoma with "Lobular Features;" and Dr. Levy feels we are dealing with a Stage III (that's the one thing he said on Thursday). Quite a change from that first Pathology Report from the Biopsy!!! Dr. Levy's office, unfortunately, confirmed the accuracy of this on Friday. The "Triple Negative" means that there are no "hormone" receptors; and it, therefore, will not respond to the "Hormonal Therapies" available to most Breast Cancer Patients today. It also means that it is more "aggressive" and the "prognosis" is not as good. It apparently represents only 15% of the Breast Cancers today; and I'm guessing it means I'm in for some chemotherapy ... the good news though is that they have found that it "responds" very well to the chemo :)

I meet my new Oncologists tomorrow at 3:00, and I don't think I've ever looked forward to seeing a Doctor so much in my entire life. I am sooooooooo anxious to find out where I go from here ... to find out what's in store ... to find out when I might get my "normal little life" back.

Thank you all sooooooooo very much for your prayers!!!! I can't tell you how much we appreciate them :) Oh and I'm happy to report that I sewed "one" hexie!!!I didn't think you'd wanna see a picture of that one lone soldier (LOL), but it sure means there's hope yet :)


"But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

A Quick Little Update :)

I am learning rather quickly that this is gonna be one heck of a journey; but I am also learning rather quickly that there is so much good along with it ... the "good" being the "love" that so many wonderful people have surrounded us with. I am actually sitting here shaking my head in total disbelief as so much love continues to come our way each and every day. I feel certain that I will remain in awe all the days of my life; and without a doubt, I will be forever grateful for everyone's love and prayers :) You are truly the "sunshine" admist the "dark clouds !" You are truly the "strength" that God has given us!!! You are truly "wonderful!!!" You are the kind of people that God intended for us all to be!!! You are loved by me and Gene more than you'll ever know :)

I look so forward to the day when we get back to the real subject of this Blog ... that being "Quilting in Davie :)" It's been quite a while since I lifted a needle, but I hope to rectify that in the very near future :) I must remember that it is what keeps me sane, so I am vowing to return to doing what I love so much in the very near future.

In the meantime, I'm still talking "Cancer," cuz it has a tendency to consume your life. I think the thing that is effecting me the most is the number of people who face this evil Disease each and every day!!! My heart aches for each and everyone of them and for all of those they love. I pray that cancer patients everywhere are surrounded with the love we are surrounded with cuz it truly warms your heart and makes such a tremendous difference :)

I went to see my sweet, wonderful Dr. Levy on Monday; and I was sooooooooo excited cuz Natalie (his wonderful Office Gal) told me he was gonna remove these nasty drains!!! I'll admit, the thought of pulling 'em out had me shaking in my boots; but I was soooooooo willing to endure that misery just to be free from them. Unfortunately, those mean little creatures are still in cuz they're entirely too active still!!!!!!!!!! I'm hoping they slow down soon cuz they are very close to getting on my last nerve (LOL).

He also wanted to remove every other staple, which also was making me a bit nervous; but that didn't happen either cuz I went and got some sort of infection ... fever, achy all over kind of stuff, so basically I arrived home in the same shape I left in (LOL) with the addition of antibiotics, which don't seem to be working just yet.

The biggest news is the initial Pathology Report, which states: "Metastatic Carcinoma Involving Three of Six Lymph Nodes." Not the bestest news and not what we wanted to hear, but it is what it is, so now we just deal with it accordingly ... it definitely could have been much worse :) He'll be referring me to an Oncologists in the very near future (after the remainder of Patholgy is back); and I just pray, pray, pray that the Oncologists is as wonderful as Dr. Levy is :)

Well, that about catches us up :) Until next time, wishing each and everyone many blessings :)

"May the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy
Spirit be with you all." (2 Corinthians 13:14)

WITH SINCERE GRATITUDE ......

Please forgive me for taking so long to say "thank you" for all the love, prayers and kindness that you have sent our way. I am so far behind in visiting everyone's Blogs ... behind in answering e-mails ... behind in just about everything actually; but my heart has felt so much love from so many and I will be forever grateful for that :)

Things have been moving at the "speed of lightening" and my mind can't seem to keep up!!! My body is lagging behind somewhat as well and I haven't a clue where all the days have gone. A monsterous "whirlwind" to say the least ... medical test after medical test; and I am sooooooooo not a "medical person!" Heck, I don't even like to drive by a Doctor's office ... they all give me the "heebie jeebies!!!" I don't have much choice in the matter right now though, so I'm trying really hard to do what I have to do.

The "Nuclear Breast Scan" showed "multiple tumors" ... 5 to 6 of 'em; but fortunately, they were all clustered fairly close together, so Dr. Levy, who continues to be absolutely wonderful, still wanted to try the "lumpectomy," which was done on Wednesday. Other scans showed "enhancement of the axillary nodes," so I knew going into the surgery that an "axillary dissection" was a possibility. He did a procedure before surgery to locate the "sentinel node" so he could remove it in the OR; and OMG I wouldn't wish that procedure on my worse enemy!!! I shall spare you the gory details (LOL). He then removed the "sentinel node" and it was tested by an on site Pathologist. It unfortunately came back positive, so the "axillary dissection" did take place. I had already read enough to know that it wouldn't be pleasant; and boy oh boy, "not pleasant" is an understatement!!!

We are currently sitting on pins and needles waiting on the Pathology Report of those axillary nodes cuz it will be a biggie in determining what's next. We're also quite anxious to know if he was able to get "clear margins." The good news on that front is he really thinks he did :)

Once they got the pain under control, the day of surgery was definitely the best so far cuz I was flying high in the sky from all the meds; and I was actually enjoying myself ... so much so, my Dear Sister told me to quit laughing ... she was afraid I was gonna bust open my stitches (LOL). I don't think she needs to worry about that now though cuz the last couple of days have proven to be a bit on the difficult side. I know that's to be expected, but I am soooooooooo ready to get to the other side :) I want to get back to taking care of my honey, playing with our sweetie pie Dolly and "queeelting!!!!" The chores ... well not so much (LOL).

Hopefully I'll be back soon with some good news from the Pathology Report ... until then, please know that all of you have filled my heart with an abundance of sunshine!!!!!! Wishing many blessings for you all :)

"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

LAWDY DAISY, IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING!!!!!!!

And ain't it the truth on that "it's always something!!!" I imagine it's a statement that's been spoken millions of times through the years and it's also the title to "Gilda Radner's" book. Have y'all read it??? I highly recommend it but then again I'm a real sucker for "true" stories and true movies. Knowing that "it's real life" makes it very appealing to me.

It's been a couple of weeks since I've Blogged ... been experiencing some of those "it's always something" days, which has been occupying my mind entirely too much; and it unfortunately, will probably continue to do so unless I can manage to bring the thought process under control. I don't normally spend too much time discussing personal matters here in Blogville. I'm kind of an "introvert" where those issues are concerned ... the way things have been going over the past few years though, I think it's quite possible I could write a book now!!!!!!!

The most recent "Oh Lawdy Daisy, it's always something" is a diagnosis ... a diagnosis of Breast Cancer for yours truly ... "Invasive Lobular Carcinoma" to be exact on the left side. I never dreamed I would be inducted into the "Pink Ribbon Hall of Fame;" but it appears that I've joined the thousands and thousands of wonderful, brave, courageous women across the world who have or who are currently enduring the stress, anxiety, worry and discomfort from this disease. A mind boggling issue for sure!!!!

It all started with an "OMG, what in the heck is that!!!!" It's not a lump persay ... more like a solid, thick, heavy mass that was causing some discomfort ... sharp pains and burning, not to mention the fact that it felt like all of my weight had landed in that exact spot. The silly thing felt like it weighed a ton!!! Fortunately, I had the presciption for my mammogram in my purse, so I went ahead and scheduled the appointment. When I received the call from my Doctor saying that there was a "new asymetrical nodular density," I wasn't one bit surprised. What did surpise me was the fact that he wanted me to get an MRI. My first thought was "what about an ultrasound???" "Why are we jumping to the MRI so quickly???;" but being the good girl that I sometimes am, I went forward with the MRI without asking too many questions. When those results came back, my heart began to sink a bit. Without going into all the specifics, it indicated the possibility of cancer and that a biopsy should be done.

Well, my GYN referred me to a Breast Specialists ... Dr. Mitchell Levy, who is an absolute total sweetheart!!!!!!! I don't think I've met a nicer Doctor; and believe you me, between our Daughter's illness and now my Husband's, I've met a lot of them through the years!!!!! Micki had one in Miami and one in TN that come awful close, but currently this kind man is at the top of the list :) He did an Ultrasound on my first visit and scheduled a stereoactic biopsy. OMG, just the thoughts of that came close to putting me 6 feet under!!!! I am the world's biggest whimp where medical issues are concerned ... Micki and Gene are the one's in our family with all the courage in that area, and a lot more areas as far as that goes.

The Biopsy was Wednesday; and once I found out that they had yet to have any "Biopsy Fatalities," I put my big girl panties on and said "OK, let's do it!!!!" Even though they wern't what we wanted to hear, the results came back in just a little over 24 hours, which was a blessing cuz the "waiting" was starting to lean towards the "brutal" side!

I have done an awful lot of research on the subject over the last few weeks cuz my gut feeling was "something is wrong," so when I heard Dr. Levy say "I'm sorry, the news is not good," I was ready to fire away with a million questions; but then he went and threw me for a loop by saying it was a totally different cancer than what I had been researching!!! The MRI had mentioned the possibility of "DCIS," which is "Ductal Carcinoma In Suta," so that's what I had been reading about. I was somewhat dismayed to find out that it wasn't that afterall, so back to square one on the research.

He said that I was more than welcome to come to his office yesterday afternoon so we could sit and talk for awhile, which is exactly what I decided to do. The game plan is for a "Metastatic Scan" on Tuesday. He also wants a full body PetScan and hopes to get it scheduled for the same day. God willing our Insurance will approve that. Then I go to my Cardiologists next week to get my release for surgery, which reminds me I still need to call him!!!!!! Lastly, we'll do a lumpectomy the following Wednesday. He will try to get it all at that time, but his main goal will be to get more samples for the Pathlogists, along with the sentinel node for biopsy. They cannot determine what Stage the Disease is until all of this has been done. After all of that, they will determine whether more surgery, chemo and or radiation is needed. God willing, nothing else will be required after the initial surgery :) Now wouldn't that be nice!!!!!!!

Well, there you have it ... a glimpse into our current "It's always something!!!" Gene and I are extremely grateful for all the prayers that we know will be going up :) May God Bless us all!!!!

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua l:9)

16,335 PIECES!!!!!!!!

Nope, it's not a "quilt" with Sixteen Thousand Three Hundred Thirty-Five pieces (sounds like more when you spell it out :)!!! I've been known to be a bit crazy, but I swear I'm not that crazy!!!!! Of course, for me to have actually come up with the number constitutes a bit of craziness in itself (LOL). Anyway, it's this that has that many pieces in it; and the "pieces" are "yarn" :)


It's been a few years since I made this, but I love it just as much today as I did when I first finished it. It's a piece that always makes me smile :) You get to see it now cuz I have nothing else to show except for more hexies!!! I thought for sure I'd be "running" wild in my sewing room this last weekend cuz I wouldn't have that silly cast to deal with any more. Well, I was right on one count, as the silly cast did come off ... buuuuuuuut the boot from hell came back on!!! Oh I was not a happy camper to hear the words "3 weeks in the boot; and if you can't promise to be faithful to it, I'll have to put the cast back on!" Well, I may be from the South; but I wasn't raised in a barn!!! I made the promise :)

And you won't believe what happened to my honey! As I've mentioned before, he suffers from severe multi-level spinal stenosis, which makes him very unsteady on his feet ... well, he went and fell in the kitchen on Thursday while I was at work and broke his wrist ... it was 2 hours before he even let me know! I'm not quite sure how he stood the pain cuz it was a major break ... completely in two leaving his wrist heading one direction and his hand heading the other! OMG, just looking at it made me hurt.

Anyway, we went to a local Urgent Care Thursday evening (pictured below) and on to the Orthopaedic Guy the following day to have it set, which still gives me goosebumps!


Now he's the one in our little family sporting the "blue cast!" The guy asked him if he wanted "pink." Gene's words: "if that's all you've got!" (LOL) I said that'd be like "a man named Sue!"

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock." (Mathew 7:24-25)

A BIT OF PROGRESS :)

Making a tad bit of progress w/the "Scrappy Grandmother's Flower Garden" with 7 new blocks added :)


Not the bestest picture in the world, but I'm quite obviously, not the bestest photographer in the world!!

I've also got oodles of hexies ready for more blocks :)


It appears that "hexies" are the only "sewable" something that's compatible with this injured foot of mine, so "hexies" it is!!! I tried to spend some time in the Sewing Room over the Holiday weekend, but standing on my feet "cutting" and "ironing" just didn't work out, especially after doing laundry and grocery shopping, so it was back to the couch for me! God willing, the cast comes off in 121 hours, but whose counting (LOL).

"Every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything." (Hebrews3:4)

MOVING SLOW!

And the culprit for all my slowness is still that silly 'ole Achilles Tendon! Unfortunately, I failed the "cam walker" a/k/a "the big black boot from hell," terribly and am now saddled with this!


Yeap, that silly Doctor decided on a hard cast, which has proven to be shere misery. At least with the boot, I could cheat and take it off ... which was probably the problem (LOL). My color choices were "black, pink or blue;" and I obviously went with the later. Did you know that casts are extremely slippery??? That's what the tech told me, so I just had to see if he was correct; and I'm here to tell ya he was! I could very easily skate on any hard surface, so to avoid having to wear the little shoe that comes with it all the time, I decided to put on a hospital sock :) Cut the toes out and it works like a charm :) The good news is I'm one third of the way done ... one week down and only two to go :)

Now for Dolly Darlene in her cute purple bow :)


Oh I know I'm terribly prejudice, but isn't she just the cutest!!!!!!!! Wishing everyone a blessed Holiday weekend :) With a little luck, I'll actually have something "quilty" to show when it's done.

"Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. " (Psalms 57:1)

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING "QUILTY!"

If I only posted when something exciting happened down here in what is quickly becoming "wickedly hot Davie," I'd never post, that's for sure! I usually have something "quilty" to show though ... but today I have absolutely nothing in that arena either, soooooo you get this ..............

Our poor pitiful mailbox! Exciting, don'tcha think (LOL). It's a sorry looking thing, I know; but that's cuz it's been hit and knocked down more times than I can count. I'm not quite sure why either cuz I've never hit it ... not even once! Gene was the first offender bringing it to the ground before we even bought the house 19 years ago and again shortly after we moved in. Since then, I can't tell you how many times I've opened up the front door to this exact same view. It's the sorriest looking mailbox in the neighborhood too, but we learned a long time ago it simply wasn't worth replacing, so we just continued to stand it up time and time again. This time, however, the poor dilapidated thing finally bit the dust ... and for the biggest news yet, this time the lady who knocked it down actually knocked on our door to tell us she knocked it down; and she even put a new pole on our front porch the next morning, renewing my faith in my fellow man :)

Oh and I've got this too ... Dolly in her purple bow! Well shoot, Blogger isn't cooperating and won't allow me to upload any more pictures, so you'll just have to wait and see her cute self another day :)

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. " (Mathew 7:12)

IN THE MOOD FOR A QUICKIE!

Now, now ... get your mind out of the gutter on that little "quickie!" OMG, did I just say that??? Did I just think that??? (LOL) Oh well ... such is life :) Anyway, the subject is "queeelting" and the "quickie" is a "Disappearing Nine Patch" that I've been wanting to make ... several of my friends have made one recently, and this weekend I was in the mood to do the same.

Having had two whole days to work on it, I really should be showing you a "finished top," cuz it does really go together quickly; but I didn't give it as much attention as I had planned on giving it. Summer has landed big time in Davie and I'm having a bit of trouble adjusting to the heat again ... I'm also still dealing with that silly little achilles problem and my friend the last few weeks has been a "headache," sooooooooo it ended up being a "lazy kinda two days." Now that I'm back at work, I wanna be sewing on it again (LOL).

On another matter ... that being 7 to 8 inches ... OMG, your mind just fell back down into the gutter didn't it!!!!! (LOL) You all either need to pray for my soul or I need to get back in bed, roll back out and start this day off again!!!! Anyway, I was referring to the length of my hair ... it being a major "mop;" but I'm happy to say that I took the plunge and had about 7 to 8 inches cut off last week. I decided it was time to stop rebelling against old age and it feels sooooooo much better. Not the best picture in the world, but I put a new one of "yours truly" up in the left hand corner :) My honey took it as I was leaving this morning :) I feel so liberated without all that mess!

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace." (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

Hope this week treats you all with kindness :)

"SCRAPPY HEARTS" PROGRESS REPORT :)

Even though it's soooooo close, but still not finished just yet ... I had to go ahead and show it to you anyway :)

It's all done except for one final border. It was my goal to finish it before time to head back to my office this morning; but by the time last night rolled around, I was just about out of steam. I knew if I continued onward I wouldn't have the energy left to bathe Dolly, feed my honey and wash my own mop, so I decided to call it a day in the sewing room. Anyway, here 'ya go ... the "One Border Shy Scrappy Hearts :)"

If you "double click" on the photo, you'll be able to see it a bit better.

I've really enjoyed the process and am soooo happy with the results so far :) It's gonna be a hard one to let go of, but I'll be saying goodbye to it soon.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5)

Blessings to you and yours! Jan

YOUR LAUGH FOR THE DAY :)

I hate to make our little punkin the brunt of a good belly laugh, but I'm afraid her ears make it impossible to avoid, especially when she's fresh out of a bath ......................


OMG, those ears are just down right hysterical! Every Sunday night, which is the official bath time in our house, they always make her Daddy laugh out loud! But honestly, in her defense, they do tame down just a tad bit once she's dried.


She's sooooo dern cute; and she knows it too, as she loves to look at herself in the mirror, the little nut!

On another subject, I spotted this little gal on my first visit outside this morning. Can you spot her too???

On my second trip outside, she was no where to be found ... I guess she was off doing whatever ducks do and now I know why she was all cuddled up under those bushes! See the eggs!

I wish there was a picture to show you how happy I am now that the weekend is once again upon us! Hope it's a good one for everyone.

"Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹²No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." (1 John 4:11-12)

Blessings to you and yours! Jan

GORGEOUS!

My Mom ... not the candy :)

Well, I will admit that the candy does look pretty dern good too; but I was referring to my Mom as the "gorgeous" one :) She looks fabulous at 91, don'tcha think :) She adored her Easter present from my Brother :) So much so, she's got that big box of candy hidden in her bedroom (LOL). Oh my gosh, Mr. Gene would be in Heaven w/that Whitman's Sampler! I think I know a few other people who would be too, so I guess she's pretty smart for hiding it.

"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you." (Exodus 20:12)

OUR LITTLE PUNKIN IN HER FLAPPER DRESS!

All that's missing is a "feather" and a "foot long cigarette holder." If we had those, our little punkin would be sporting a for real "1920's Flapper Dress!"


Isn't that the cutest little "puppy dress" you ever did see! It was gifted to Dolly Darlene by our Secretary's (Diane) Dad ... obviously a very kind and generous soul :) And can you believe he's never even met Dolly! He's merely heard stories about her and seen pictures of her.

Too cute for words!!!!!!! God Bless Diane's Dad! Diane too cuz she's one of the angels walking amongst us :)

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:28-31)