Happy new year and PTL!

First:  Dorothy was able to eat and hold down food today, so that is such a good sign.  In fact her doctor told her if she could do that she could probably go home tomorrow!  So, she's looking forward to tomorrow with hopes of going home!  She's still flat on her back and weak as a cat, but she feels so much better since her stomach is no longer 'rolling.'  Praise the Lord and thank you all for your prayers!

The picture tonight is one I got of Nate today when we stopped by to see who we might catch at their house.  We don't catch him much, so it was a treat to get a hug and a picture!  He'll be 21 in March, so his life is very busy.  We got to see Rob and Trish, and also Mason, Gracie and Raynie, so it was a fun visit.

Lee was able to see his dentist in the city and they are working on fixing his broken tooth.  It's a long story, but they think they can add a tooth to his partial plate.  They will make the final adjustments on Wednesday.  We had intended to go to OKC on Thursday to be ready to leave early Friday morning for Hawaii.  Since we're going Wednesday for dental work, I went ahead and made our reservation for Wednesday night as well.  So, we've got to get all packed and ready to go tomorrow and leave here on Wednesday instead of Thursday!  It's a good thing I started packing last weekend!  We can do it.  Whew.  I'm ready for some Hawaii weather!  Maybe we can get a chance to rest some on Thursday, too.

Please pray for Dorothy.

This looked so cute when I saw it that I had to take the picture.  Lee left his boots and hat tok dry after digging the truck out of the snow the other day.  I saw it and it reminded me of a picture of a little tyke in his daddy's Boots and hat; only there's no little tyke, just Papa's boots and hat.  It made me smile and I thought you might smile, too.

Now, the serious news is that Dorothy was taken by ambulance to the hospital last night.  They had called the doctor earlier in the evening and she gave them instructions to get her through the night and told them to bring her to the hospital this morning if she wasn't better.  At 3 this morning Jeff (her grandson) called an ambulance to take  her to the hospital.  She was so sick, but too weak for him to get to his truck.  I called a few minutes ago and talked with her, but she had no idea what they are doing for or with her.  All she knows is that she's on an IV and she's still sick.  The IV will help to get some nourishment into her and keep her from being dehydrated, but something is making her really sick.  She said, "Jo, I'm so sick; I'll talk to you later."  Bless her heart.  Please pray that God will give her the strength to get through whatever this is.

I am doing much better.  I feel like I've been able to keep this crud in my head and it hasn't gone to bronchitis, which is always my greatest fear.  It's all beginning to drain, so that's good.  The drainage causes me to cough and gag and make a terrible scene, but when that's not happening I'm fine.  I'm resting a lot, drinking lots of orange juice and water and taking Vitamin C and antihistamines.  I'm going to stay away from the hospital unless Dorothy needs me.  I don't need to catch what she or anyone else has and I sure don't want to pass around whatever I have!  She's where she needs to be and will have the best of care.  She was the president of the hospital's board of directors for years, so she's highly respected up there.  Thanks for your prayers for her recovery.

Hawaii shorts.

I started packing on Friday night.  Today I tried on clothes and packed most everything I'm taking.  It sure feels funny to be packing shorts and tank tops when there is snow on the ground outside!  That snow sure makes me ready to go see some whales, though!

Today I felt the best I have since Sunday night, when I started feeling this cold.  I've hit the stage of coughing up junk, so that's a good sign but not pretty.  So far, I think it has not hit my lungs.  Thank God for the neti pot, colloidal silver water and benadryl.  I think the combination of those 3 have helped me the most.

Dorothy has been sick all week and I talked to her grandson a few minutes ago.  If she's not better in the morning he's taking her to the hospital.  She's been refusing, but I think she's ready to go, now.  I pray that she will recover from this and that it is not anything too serious.  I will keep you posted on her well being.

Glad we don't get this often!

This is a pic of Lee digging out a path so we could get out of the driveway yesterday.  Notice the tracks near the pole of the basketball goal and the red bud tree.  He came to within a hair of wrapping that mirror around both of them.  Of course I was having a conniption.  I could have shoveled but he wouldn't let me!  I was so afraid he'd have a heart attack!  He didn't, so, once again, I was worried and it was worthless energy.  I should have been praying!  I pray a lot, but I missed that opportunity.  I've thanked God a lot since we got out of there in one piece.

We didn't go anywhere today.  I don't expect the roads are any better.  It's just better to stay inside when the weather is tricky.  Ice and snow are tricky!  For kids it's fun, but for old people it's way risky!  I'm learning to be more careful with this body.

Today we woke up to more snow, but it was just flurries, but enough to remind us that it's still bad out there. Lee's daughter had hoped to come yesterday and then today, but I think it's just not in the cards for her to make that play at this time.  Maybe we can see her before we go next week when we're in town; if not we can see her when we come home.

Today we started packing for Hawaii.  It's a little bizarre to be packing shorts and tank tops, but we sure won't need these sweat shirts in Hawaii.  Woo hoo!

It blows into drifts.

When I open the door of my bedroom onto the deck this is what I see.  Notice how in the bottom left hand corner are Lee's footprints from when he took out the trash and it looks about 6 inches deep.  The alley where folks have driven looks deep, as well, but see how the grass is showing through on the lot behind us.  That's how the wind blows it.  In our driveway the very front near the street is blown clear, but there were 3 foot drifts around Lee's truck.  He had to dig a path to get out to go get his prescriptions today.  There are two main streets clear in Hobart, but the rest are snow and ice covered.  It's a good time to stay inside!  I know of people shoveling show and then having a heart attack, so I was leery of Lee shoveling snow, but I was really sweating him wrapping his truck around the basketball goal or the red bud tree beside the driveway.  I thank God that we got out and back safely!

One of Lee's daughters had planned to come visit today, but something came up and she had to stay home to take care of it.  Hopefully, she'll be able to make it tomorrow.  I think the roads will be clear until she gets to our little barely traveled town.

Finished the puzzle!

This puzzle was started over the Thanksgiving weekend of 2011!  I thought I'd never get it finished, but I finished it today.  It's my Christmas present to myself!  And, yes, when the weather is this cold I wear this sweater every day.  It is SO warm!  You see all the tools of a real puzzler; the picture of how the completed puzzle looks; a magnifying glass to inspect the picture closely; a pancake turner to pick up the little 'communities' that grow around the puzzle and place them where they go when you find that place; pie pans to hold like pieces; a candle to burn up the whole thing if you give up!  Seriously, all but the candle are a big help; that's just the place I found to let the candle live.   I am so relieved to be done with this puzzle and really pleased to find that all the pieces survived over a year and a move from the dining room to this guest room!  If you make this huge, you'll see it's 1000 pieces; the top right corner was the part that has been undone for the last year.  Those last 75 pieces were TOUGH; yes, I counted the pieces when I couldn't find any that fit.  Then I counted down as I found a piece here and there.

I had been challenged about 3 years ago to make a snow angel when it snowed when we were in Branson.  I only had my good coat there and didn't want to get it all wet, so I didn't do it.  So, today I went out to make a snow angel.  Holy cow!  How dumb was that???  People my age should never get down into the snow; they have to get back up!!!  And, getting up messes up the snow angel!  Well, I'm a sport, but I'm a lot wiser, now.  I will stick to jigsaw puzzles and never, ever lay down in the snow unless I fall.  And, I'll thank God for letting me NOT fall when I got up!  I did it when Lee was reading the paper online, so he didn't miss me.  He would have wanted to help me and we could have both fallen!  Certainly we would have both gotten cold and there was no need for both of us to freeze!  Freezing me was enough to teach me the lesson.  I thank God for just letting me be frozen to learn the lesson!

Merry white Christmas from Hobart!

I've got on my winter snow shirt.  We've got a white Christmas for sure.  It's blowing every which way, so I can't tell how much we have, but they're predicting another 3 - 4 inches before it stops.  When it stops I'll go out and make a snow angel and get a pic of that!  It may be dark before it stops and I'll have to do it tomorrow.  I got this picture of us chilling out by our wee Christmas tree, a bunch of candles and the Santa Collection.  Merry Christmas to all!  Praise God for sending His son to set an example for us and then provide for our salvation.  Wow!  What an awesome gift!

Merry Christmas Eve!

This pic is slightly different from last nights; I haven't felt like taking pics today.  I'm struggling with a head cold and I'm determined to nip it in the bud.  Lee broke a tooth this morning and it's the one his partial plate hangs onto, so it's pretty important.  His dentist is closed for the rest of the year, so I guess we'll be eating lots of mashed potatoes.  I thank God that nothing is hurting him, though!  I thank God that I have Nyquil and colloidal silver water to throw at this cold, too.  If I can just keep it from going to bronchitis I'll be so pleased!

I didn't post the pie recipe last night because it didn't set up like it should.  I figure out why it didn't, though, so I'm going to go ahead and post it.  The pie is still delicious and if you don't make the same mistake I did it will set up right and be beautiful as well as delicious.

It's nearly sugar free key lime pie::

1 pkg sugar free lime jello
1/4 c. boiling water
2 6oz light key lime yogurt
1 8oz cool whip
1 graham cracker crust

DISSOLVE jello in the boiling water.  (I didn't dissolve it enough; I found some solid pieces of hard jello in my pie, so I'm sure if I had done a better job of dissolving it and stirring it all together with a whip it would have set up better.)  Add the yogurt.  Mex well  & stir in 2/3 of the cool whip.  Pour into the crust and chill.  Ice the top with the remaining cool whip.

When I made it, it was firm enough to ice in about an hour.  I just wish I had used a wire whisk; I think that would have worked better.  It's way yummy, though.  I'm going to make it with different flavors and see how it works.  I'll report my findings.

Christmas Adam.

Our preacher's daughter who is 8 came up with Christmas Adam.  Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and Adam was before Eve, so this must be Christmas Adam.  Out of the mouths of babes!  That's a classic and will stick with me for the rest of my life, I hope.

Today we had the devotional at the nursing home and I loved visiting with the folks there.  It wasn't too cold; it would have been nice if the wind weren't blowing, but this is Oklahoma, so we accept and expect wind.  After church we came by the Mexican restaurant and it was OPEN!  It hasn't been open on Sunday for nearly 2 years!  So, we whipped in and hurt ourselves for lunch.  I brought home enough for 3 more meals for me, but we still ate too much.  It was great, though.  Dorothy has company, so she wasn't with us and we sure missed her!  After the nursing home devotional I came home and shelled pecans as I watched a movie.  Now, nothing good is on, so I might go work on my puzzle that has been in the building stage since Thanksgiving of 2011!

I thank God for someone special who will share Christmas Adam, Eve, and Christmas with me.  We're just chilling out and taking it easy this week.  Again, I forgot to take pics while we were dressed today.  Ugh!  I meant to take the camera to church to get pics of Alyssa with me, but I forgot the camera.  Alyssa was sick, so she didn't get to come, anyway.  We saw her daddy this morning and her mommy tonight, but we'll have to see Alyssa the next time.  She has a fever and with a 4 year old that could be most anything, but so far that's her only symptom besides feeling like a wet rag.  We pray that they can continue with their travels and see a doctor with her tomorrow.

Thankful for an easy day!

Do you remember Betsy Clark?  I think she was the forerunner to Precious Moments.  Anyway, I always loved her and I collect Betsy Clark items.  The one behind me says, "A true friend is the best possession."  I believe that is so true and I know that I am wealthy when it comes to my possessions of friends!  I have several pictures and items displayed on my stairway to the basement; it's one of my favorite nooks in the house because of all the Betsy Clark pieces.  I go up and down those steps to the basement a lot on my exercise plan.  My goal is to do 25 flights of stairs a day.  I thank God for a good place to get my stairs and walking done.  If I don't get enough walking in during the day, I can always go down and walk laps around the pool table.  I've got to keep moving and I thank God for the place to do it and the ability to keep moving!

Today has been an easy day.  I went out to Dorothy's house this morning and we visited for about an hour.  That was fun.  I picked up a recipe from her for another sugar free pie and stopped by the store on my way home to get the ingredients.  Oh, Ruthie, you're going to like this one, too!  I made the pie and it's supposed to set up.  We ate a piece after supper and it wasn't set up like I think it should so I'm not sharing the recipe until I know I've got it right.  I should know it the morning if it's set good and firm.  If it's right, I'll post it tomorrow on the blog.  It sure tasted good even if it was kind of soft.

Lee was taking a nap in his chair this afternoon, so I heated a rice buddy and laid down on one of the couches and napped along with him. Now, there's a Christmas tradition I can maintain!  Love those naps and love my rice buddies.

Forgot to take the camera, again! Ugh!

We went to OKC today, primarily to go to the funeral of a guy who worked for Lee for about 20 years.  That was on my mind when we left at 6:45 a.m., so I didn't even think to take the camera.  We did get to go visit 3 of our kids and Lee's brother, Dan, and his wife, Sandy.  The picture I posted is one I got of Chris, Lee's son-in-law and his precious baby, Bryce.  That picture I got when they were here Thanksgiving.  Today we got to see Brice at home with his mommy and two sisters and then we went by Cris' work and got to visit briefly.  We stopped at Tricia's and saw all the kids except Gabe and Sadie; Sadie was at work, so we went to where she works and saw her and had lunch.  On the way home tonight we stopped by Lee's son's house and got to visit with him and his wife and one of their daughters.  So, today was full of great visits and a really nice celebration of the life of Lee's good friend.  We also went to the coffee shop before the funeral and got to see several of Lee's good friends.

So, it was a full day and a great opportunity to give many thanks to God for abundant blessings.  We are rich when it comes to family and friends.

It's a slightly different pic; it's all I've got!

This picture looks very much like the one I posted yesterday, but it's slightly different.  I took pics today, but it was of the papers I had ready for the tax preparer and I sent them to her.  I hope that procedure worked and I'll be done until it's time to do our personal taxes.  I dissolved the corporation, so I should be done with reporting for it after this year.  What a relief!

It's really weird to be home all day!  I got 4 loads of laundry done and changed our sheets, plus I finished up the corporate taxes.  I'll have dinner ready in a few minutes.  It feels really good.

I should report on the 'sick and afflicted.'  Lee's sore throat is gone and he seems to be just fine.  His knees, shoulders and back bother him a lot, but we're old, so I think that's to be expected.  We just have to learn to pace ourselves to not do too much and use Ibuprofen sparingly.  His gout and blood sugar seem to be under control.  Praise God!

More praising God over Ruthie and Phil.  They are hobbling along, but, as I said, we're old, so we just have to do a certain amount of hobbling and give thanks for the ability to do that!  Ruthie is still feeling some dizziness from her concussion and Phil is dragging after his stroke.  We think he's dragging because of the meds they have him on to prevent another stroke because other than tired he seems to feel really good.  When I talk to them on the phone they sure sound good and cut up like they feel good.  For a few weeks there we weren't cutting up any; we were all kind of holding our breath until we found out what each test would reveal.  The tests revealed that Phil has had 3 strokes, but 2 of them were old, so must have been back when he didn't even realize it.  All the tests on his heart showed that his heart is in great shape.  Ruthie has tested out really well, too.  So, other than the obvious, (strokes, MS and a concussion) they are doing well considering all.  

We're all alive and up and at 'em.  That's good stuff, in my opinion!  I thank God for bodies that heal and the energy to keep going every day.

Another day off and my year is done!

Now I can sleep in every day except Sunday for a while.  Yahoo!  They didn't call me today so I got my taxes for the corporation almost done.  I've got to fill in the papers, but I've the figures all ready to post.  Yeah!  I thank God for the opportunity to get that done before I take off to Hawaii!  I'll have to post the very last figures right before we go, but I've got all done that I can.  It feels good to be ready.  I've shut down the corporation, so this is the last time I'll have to file these taxes.  It was just more than I wanted to keep going.

We're watching the Thunder play in Atlanta tonight.  We just got home from church and it's halftime but the Thunder is ahead, so we're happy.  We're in the middle of a wind and dust storm here; it sounds like thunder outside, but it's only wicked winds.  God is mighty and awesome!

Nice day off!

Today and tomorrow are semester tests at school, so I really don't expect to be called.  The elementary schools will be having parties, so I just think I'm done for 2012 and subbing.  It was so nice this morning!  I got up at 6:30 and got ready, then when they hadn't called me by 8:30, I went back to bed and took a 2 hour nap.  I loved it!  I thank God for the opportunity to sub and share some life with the kids, but I also thank Him for a day off; even a couple of months off!

Then we did some grocery shopping and went out to see Dorothy.  I had cut up some apples and celery for her because she's making a cranberry salad for dinner with her grandson's family on Thursday.  While we were out there I put together a sugar free ice box pie for her.  She loves that as much as we do.  Tonight I made her some quiche to have this weekend when our friends are coming for a visit.  The couple who have the little girl, Alyssa, have moved away to go into the mission field and they're coming this weekend for a visit.  They'll stay at Dorothy's house, so I wanted to help her get some food ready to have for them.  We're excited about seeing them.  They were a special part of our lives and we've really missed them.  It's been nice to have a day off to do things I don't always have time to do.  Tonight I'm throwing pills to last until we go to Hawaii, then I have to take enough with me to Hawaii in their original bottles.  Flying is really a pain, anymore, but it's the best way to get to Hawaii!  We don't have long to get ready, so it's starting to get more and more exciting!

Blue and gold day.

An algebra teacher had a sick baby this morning, so I had to sub, to my surprise.  I had read somewhere (probably face book) that  on Monday we should wear the school colors if Sandy Nook Elementary School to honor those suffering due to the tragic killing there on Friday. Yellow is not my best color, but I wore it today.  We open each day with the pledge of allegiance and then a moment of silence when we can pray or meditate or just think.  I took that time to thank God for the safety in our schools and for the kids and my opportunity to share in their lives.  I always ask Him to guide me so that I might have some positive impact on the students whose life I get to touch.  They are treasures to me; I'd sure like to be a positive part of their lives.

Tonight the Thunder plays, so I'm doing the blog early so I can be ready to watch and get to bed early in case they call me in the morning.  Lee seems to be doing fine today.  I just have to get used to life with a diabetic!

Forgot, again.

I promise these are different pictures; just all of them were taken on Friday.  I was all dressed and should have taken a picture this morning, but I got all in a dither about leaving and forgot to take one.   Then Lee had what he calls a wobbly spell just as church was over and I've been concerned about him all afternoon.  We were standing to sing the last song and I thought he was going to sleep.  I asked him if he was all right and he shook his head, "No."  I told him to sit down, but he was leaning on the pew in front of us so he didn't sit, but I could tell he was about to fall.  As soon as the last prayer was over he sat right down.  Of course everyone else was standing to leave.  He got it together a bit and we made it out to the truck where he had a candy bar stashed.  He ate that and drove us to the house; he went in and I took Dorothy home and by the store to get a few things she needed.  I rushed right home and he was eating a sandwich.  As soon as he ate he sat in his recliner and slept all afternoon.  I'm not used to this diabetes thing at all, so it's kind of scary for me.  I know I'm never going anywhere without a candy bar in my purse, now.  It was a long way to the truck  from our pew up front.  He seems to be okay, now that he's awake, but I sat right by him all day and watched to be sure he was breathing.  I guess I've got a lot to learn!  I thank God that he seems to be okay. I hope he really is.  I didn't leave him to go to church tonight.  I felt like it was my place to be here with him even though he insisted I should go.  No way.

I've shelled about a pound of pecans this afternoon while I was watching Lee.  We're watching a movie, now, so I'll get some more shelled.  I really like shelling pecans; I think it's part of my wiring.  It falls into the category of peeling skin off a sunburn; I just can't resist.  Somehow I feel like I'm winning over the pecans.  I love eating them on my sandwiches, too.  A grilled cheese sandwich with caraway seeds, jalapenos and pecans is AWESOME!

Too funny.

Lee's brother called when we were in the truck today, and Lee couldn't get his cell phone out of his pocket in time to answer it.  We were almost home, so he called him back on the house phone to keep from using his minutes.  Anyway, his brother reminded him that he never set up his voice mail on his phone.  So, I sat down to figure out how to do it and the lady instructed:  "Say your name."  So I handed the phone to him and said, "Just say your name!"  He did, but he was watching a movie called, "The Shooter."  When they played it back it sounded horrible with all that gun fire in the background.  So, I pressed whatever buttons I had to press to get to do it again, and he muted the TV and then when I handed him the phone, I  DROPPED  it!  So, the message came on and sounded like Lee was falling on the recording.  We laughed and laughed and finally got it right.  I guess after the stress of yesterday we needed a good laugh.  I told Lee we should set up the voice mail every week or so if it's going to be that much fun!

Lee is feeling better.  We hope he'll feel like going to church tomorrow.  I think a good laugh helped him!  I still feel fine and thank God that I haven't had even a hint of Lee's sore throat.  Tonight is spa night; good hot bath, haircut and shampoo.  Ahhhhhh.

Sad day; I thank God for safety in our schools.

Today we are reminded how brutal life can be.  You'd really think that it would be safe to send your kids to school!  I thank God that our schools in Hobart may be rowdy, but they are certainly safe.  I am so hooked on these kids.  God bless those folks in Connecticut who have suffered such tremendous loss today.

Lee is still fighting a sore throat and he's watched the news all day about this shooting.  It's just so very sad.  I thank God for the safety of all our kids!  I thank Him for their health and for the joy they have been in our lives.

The truth is I pasted that smile on for today's picture; I had to really work at giving thanks and recalling precious moments and that helps to bring a smile.  We have so many reasons to smile even when our hearts are breaking.  God gives us courage and strength and I thank Him for that, too!

Sewed, dusted, changed sheets, did laundry.

Got all that done after testing this morning.  Now, I'm headed to basket ball games.  Lee is still not feeling up to games, so I'm going with the ladies tonight.  Tomorrow I hope to get the floors done, then the house will be clean.

I thank God that I'm able to clean house.  I'm thankful that the house is straight enough to clean.  Ah, and I'm thankful that the kids can play ball and I can watch!  Yee haw!

Remembered the mascara, but it didn't help; maybe I'll toss it!

I've worn mascara since I was 14, I think.  I thought it was necessary, but I'm not so sure, now!  Maybe I can be more flexible in the future!  I just know that I'm blessed to have vision and health in general.  I'm counting down the months until Medicare will pay to have my cataracts removed (9); then I will be so pleased to see good, again!

Today went fine.  Lee is struggling with a sore throat.  He went to the doctor yesterday and got some meds, but he's not doing much better today.  I guess he has to go through the cycle.  He's not interested in my remedies, so I can only watch.  I just hope I can stay clean!  (I think I can!  I feel fine.)

I have one more day of testing at school and then Friday I'll be subbing for a history teacher/wrestling coach.  He's going to the wrestling tournament and I'll hold down his history and geography classes.  I'm looking forward to it.  I think that surely next week I won't work because they are doing review and 9 weeks testing.  Surely the teachers will want to be there for that.  We'll see!

Holy cow!

I helped with testing today, so not too many kids saw me.  Good thing; I forgot to put on mascara this morning!  I can't believe I did that.  I wore purple today and came home and put on my cammie jammies to lounge around in tonight because it's cold!  I remembered I needed to take a pic, so I went in to put in some earrings that weren't purple and saw in the mirror that I had no mascara on my lashes.  That's a first!  I may go to the beach without mascara, but I never intended to go to school without it!  Life went right on and the earth didn't stop.  Hmmmmmmm.  I thank God that I survived even a day with no mascara!  I'll help with testing again for the next two days and then I sub for the history teacher Friday because he has a wrestling tournament.  History I can do; lucky I don't have to do wrestling!

The senior high has games in Granite tonight.  I hope they'll be on the radio because we aren't going.  Lee got up with a sore throat this morning and saw the doctor today to get meds to help him get over it quickly.  I sure hope we can nip this in the bud and that I don't get it!

We were up late last night with the junior high games, so I've been sleepy all day!  I'm going to go to bed early tonight so I don't have to fight sleeping through the testing tomorrow!  Anyone who doesn't wear mascara to work surely cannot be trusted to drive at night and probably shouldn't be teaching!  Maybe nobody noticed!

Surviving, thanks to God!

Tonight's picture is Lee's daughter-in-law, Kathy, and her sweet mom, Weltha.  Weltha (I may be misspelling her name.) has recently had open heart surgery and she's doing GREAT!  It was a pleasure to meet her when we visited the week before Thanksgiving with James and Kathy.  I've heard so much about her.  As I age and survive breast cancer, I've observed that most of us are surviving something by this time in life!  I thank God for those of us who have been able to survive and for the blessings we had to live with and love those who didn't survive.  God has a plan and we just have to trust it and accept it and always give thanks.  That's my belief.

Tonight Lee and I went rushing to junior high basketball games.  I thought the games were at 6, but Maggie called me at 4:45 from the game where she was saving us seats.  We dropped everything and rushed over there where she and Dorothy were waiting for us.  Maggie is a great survivor and a dear friend.  Of course, you know that Dorothy is a great survivor and dear friend.  I'll have to get a picture of us all at the next game.  Tonight was a real joy; we won all the games and I got to see some of the kids play who don't always get to play.  There were 4 ballgames and we're exhausted from all the cheering.

They called me today to ask me to help with testing again for the next three days.  So, I'll be working in the morning.  I made my lunch today and they never called for today, so lunch is ready for tomorrow.  I'm doing laundry right quick and then heading to bed.  Hope you're getting to enjoy some basketball and mostly I hope you are grateful for your survival!

The cat is only a prop.

For some reason when I took this picture the cat's eyes glowed like she was a candle.  Red eye fix wouldn't fix that, so I used the retouch tool.  It looks okay unless you make the picture big and then it looks like she's blind.  Just figure the cat is a prop; this picture is all about Gracie.  This cat, Ginger, is a sweetie, but the real doll is Gracie.  What a blessing she is to all who know her.  I sure thank God for this precious person in my life!

Today has been a nice, restful day for me.  Poor Lee got up not feeling well, so he didn't make it to church.  What a bummer for lots of reasons.  He's feeling better, but his throat is bothering him, so he's afraid he's coming down with something.  That's a REAL bummer.  He doesn't believe in Colloidal Silver water like I do, so I suspect he will have to live through it.  I just hope I can keep from getting it.  This will be a big test for the Colloidal Silver water!  We had a fellowship meal after church and Lee missed a real pleasure there!  he was in no mood to eat, though, so he wasn't sorry to miss that.  After the fellowship meal we had a devotional and then we didn't have a service tonight.  So, since I had the night off, I came home and took a nap.  Ah!  Love those naps!  Then the Thunder played tonight and beat the Pacers, so I got in some good pecan shelling time.

I'm not scheduled to sub this week and I sort of suspect the teachers will really make every effort to be there since it's so close to Christmas break.  Surely there won't be any scheduled workshops, etc., but people get sick all the time, break or not, so they may call me.  I'll get up at 6:30 and get ready in case they call.   Then if they don't call I'll have an early start on the day.  That's my approach to each week these days.  I'll work all I can before the break and then it's time to get ready to go to Hawaii!  Woo hoo!

It's almost glove weather.

'We stopped to visit a few weeks ago when we were in the City and got this picture of Raynie loving on one of their kitties.  It looks to me like this kitty is very tolerant of all the loving she gets!  Notice that Raynie is ready for cold weather with her gloves that match two different things, but if you're squeezing a cat, it might be the perfect day for wearing gloves whether they match or not.  Looks to me like the cat my jump at any moment!

I'm buzzing around the house doing things that didn't get done during the week when Isubbed.  I've also been to the grocery store and have to go back for something I forgot.  Ugh.  It's one of those days!  Tomorrow we have fellowship dinner at church, so I've go to go get the right thing for my recipe unless I can find a substitute.  So my day goes kind of haywire, but it goes and I give thanks for it.  God is good to give me a Saturday to get things done that I missed during the week.

A great day!

I had lots of fun today at school.  I really get a kick out of the middle school kids.  Actually, I love them all.  Today was kind of a wild day, because we had a concert at school from a nearby college.  It just threw our schedule way off, but the kids handled it really well.  Plus we had a training session for the ACT test, so that threw us off schedule, too.  You can tell the kids who are already college material because they are able to buckle right down and get the job done when it's really time to do that.  It was rewarding to me to see the kids step up to the plate.  I think it's just real obvious that I'm really hooked on the kids.  I thank God for the opportunity to do this job.  I'm thinking the teachers may want to be right there with the kids for the next couple of weeks because we are getting so close to break time.  We'll see, but I'm not expecting them to call me so much for the next couple of weeks.

I'm happy to have some time off.  It was good to come home and cook dinner, again, tonight.  I started a pot of beans which we can enjoy this weekend.  We had eggs and fried potatoes for supper; the fried potatoes will go with the beans this weekend, too.  I'm getting finished with the blog so I can watch the Thunder game tonight.  It's nice to be relaxing.

Only Friday left this week; then the weekend.

I really do enjoy subbing, but it really makes me appreciate the weekends!  I love Saturdays because I can sleep with no alarm!

I came home tonight and actually fixed supper.  It was nothing big, but it was nice to sit down and eat.  We've been going to so many ballgames that between ballgames and church it seems like there is never a free night.  We just grab a sandwich or a bowl of cereal and run.   Today the kids played in a tournament during the day so we didn't have any games tonight.  They lost in the tournament, so that's sad, but it's the end of the tournament for us and we won't be racing to more games. The Thunder plays tomorrow night, but we can watch that from our living room.  I like that.

Tomorrow I sub in the class that I had hoped to get on a full time basis.  By the end of the day I may be really glad I didn't get it!  Actually, I'm glad I didn't get it, already, because if I were teaching full time I couldn't go house sit in Hawaii next month!  My frequent flyer miles are all used, now, so if I get a full time job next year then I can afford to BUY a ticket to go the year after that!  There's always a silver lining in every cloud . . . even if you have to search for it.  The main thing is that I know that God is in control and I trust His timing and direction.

A little 'housekeeping.'

I didn't get a call to sub today, so I've been taking care of little loose ends around here.  One that comes up is what to do about the crazy comments that I get on the blog.  By that I mean the scumbags out there who prey on people.  The blog is set up to catch them, and they don't show them in the comments that are open to everyone.  However, some of you have indicated sometime in the past that you'd like to be on a list that sends the blog to your email; you get the blog in your email as well as any comments that are made on the blog.  That means you get the perverted comments.  They are usually innocent enough in the comments, but if you click on THEIR websites, you may be taken 'over a cliff.'  I apologize for these comments and awful websites.  I have no way to control them except to take you off the mailing list so that you will never see them.  I never respond to them; I sometimes check their website to see if it's someone I know because the message looks innocent enough.  I've learned to just ignore them, but it dawned on me that you might like to be removed from the mailing list.  After all, you can pull up a browser and either type in the address to the blog (maryjoshnell.blogspot.com) or make it a favorite and go there that way; some people put an icon on their desktop, so they can go there easily.  You can go read the blog on your own and not have to put up with scumbag comments and websites.  That's the only alternative I know other than to just stop the blog.  I am not willing to give up on the blog because of a few creeps, but I will surely understand if you would like to be taken off the mailing list.  Please just let me know if you'd like me to remove your address from the mailing list.

I thank God for all the support you people who read the blog have been to me through the thick and thin of the last 6 years.  I pray that the blog has served as a learning tool for folks so that when they face difficult challenges in life, having been through some tough stuff with me will better prepare them; and that sharing my delights will encourage other folks to seize the moments in their lives.

I've muddled around today and cleaned up some things.  I don't know that this has cleaned up anything, but maybe it restates my purpose and will help you to know if you want to stick with me on the mailing list or if you want to just keep finding the blog (or not) on your own.  Thank you for being a vital part of my life.

A quick game tonight.

I subbed in Government and History today; it was a good day for me, but the coach has a bad back!  The picture posted is the one the professional took at our reunion in San Antonio back in October.  The pics just came over the weekend.

I had planned to stay home and watch the Thunder play tonight, but Maggie called and asked me to go to Carnegie to watch our high school kids play.  Lee's knee is bothering him, so he's not going, but he's generous to let me go with Maggie.  He can cheer on the Thunder, but they come in second to my guys.  Maggie is a sweet lady at church who always saves us seats at the games here.  She's a great fan and a great friend.  I thank God for great friends, a wonderful husband and way cool kids who play so hard!

A day off, so I worked at home!

They didn't call me to sub today, so I spent the day dusting and sweeping and mopping the hard floors.  It feels good to have that behind me.  If they don't call me to sub tomorrow, I'll get the carpets vacuumed.  We got all cleaned up to go to games tonight and got there and nobody was there!  I had the schedule wrong, I guess.  Anyway, we came home and ate burritos for supper and I'm stuffed!

This picture is one we got on our way to church Sunday morning.  We usually forget to take a picture, so I'm glad we slowed down to get one Sunday.

I got some other bookkeeping chores done today, so it feels good to have that behind me, too.  I'd rather sub than keep books or clean house, but it all has to be done, so I was glad to get a day off to get some completed.  I thank God that I'm able to sub and also able to clean the house.  I thank God for someone wonderful to share my life.  I am blessed and I thank God.

Happy birthday, Garrett!

Here is my hiking buddy and he's 16, now!  Wow, it was just yesterday it seems that he was a toddler.  Time sure flies.  I'm so very proud of him and can hardly wait to hike with him, again.  Love you, Garrett!  I thank God for precious grand people in my life and Garrett is sure one of them!

Today I took a 3 hour nap, so I got some rest!  I did 3 loads of laundry after church tonight, so I'm  up late.  I don't have a plan to sub in the morning, but I'll get up and be ready in case they call at the last minute which is likely.  If I don't sub I've got plenty to do around here, so I'm headed to bed.  Happy December, everyone!

These are my guy: champions!

These guys played in a tournament all week and I got to go to the final game for the championship today and they WON it!  The trailed the whole game and then came on with a burst of energy at the last and won it 31-30!  Their coach is in the yellow shirt and the guy in the white shirt is the assistant coach and also my chiropractor!  I love watching these guys play!  They are a mighty group!  I love the high school team, too, and the high school guys have a tournament next week.  So, here comes a busy week!  These guys will make a great contribution on the high school team, too.  In fact about half of them are already on the high school team and they're great at that level, too.  I'm so thankful for the opportunity to have these guys in my life.  I should have got a shot of the cheerleaders, too.  I didn't get this shot, though; I swiped it from someone who posted it on Facebook.  I'll have to take my camera this week and get some shots of the high school team and cheerleaders.

I cut Dorothy's hair today and I've got a couple of pairs of her pants to hem tonight while I watch the Thunder play.  I love it when I find things that I can do well.  Maybe that's how these guys feel; they've found something they can do well.  I'm sure glad to get to watch them do it so well!  God is great to give us each other!