The summer heat is definitely here. Where most people look forward to spring to get winter over with, I am looking forward to fall. And sadly, my summer vacation is over. I went back to work on Friday.
HEALTH UPDATES. I must say that I admire Pauline. In all of her recent problems I have rarely heard her complain. When I mentioned this to Vicki she agreed. We are working hard to keep her blood sugar in check. The diet is not nearly as restrictive as we thought. We just have to be careful.
Speaking of health, please keep Mom in your prayers on Wednesday when she has her surgery. She's still no better or worse, just hanging in there for Wednesday.
BELATED CONGRATULATIONS. Sarah Yergler, my cousin, graduated from high school last week (I should have reported this in the last edition but with all the excitement...). She lives in New Jersey where they run their school calendar a little later than ours. Her summer will be very short this year as she will begin her studies at Baylor University next month. She hasn't decided what her major will be but then at the age of 38 and two degrees later I'm still not sure I know what my major should be either. Sarah, we're proud of you!
EXPRESS YOURSELF. Nate is starting to move beyond parroting what you say to actually expressing himself in simple sentences. I got a laugh the other morning what I was in the bathroom getting ready for the day. Nate was watching as I turned around and tossed some trash into the trash can. When it went in he exclaimed, "Wow, good shot!"
REMEMBERING A PROMISE. I enjoy rainbows. We had a quick shower on Monday that made the most unique rainbow I've ever seen appear. We were over at Pauline's at the time. For those of you who have not seen her house the back door looks toward the east. About 600 feet behind her house is a row of trees. There is a field between her yard and the trees (it currently has corn in it). The rainbow stretched from one end of the trees to the other and was no higher than the tallest tree. It was as if the trees were a screen for the rainbow to be projected on. The sunlight was bright so the bow showed up really well. What was really neat was a few hours later we saw another rainbow. The sun was just about to set making this one HUGE. It was very clear and was a double bow in places. The kids were impressed!
While I am very thankful that God has promised never to flood the earth with water again I sure wish He'd send a little more rain our way right now.
THE RETURN OF THE TRAIN. I packed Nate's train away when we started painting rooms and moving things around. Now that we are back and forth between Pauline's so much I thought it would be a good time to get the train back out and set it up in an out of the way corner at her house. You'd think Nate had found a long lost friend. I guess I am going to have to divide the train set between the two houses. When Nate is here he is constantly asking, "Play train?" I have to keep the door bolted shut to keep him from leaving on his own.
CONCERNED FOR MOMMA. On Wednesday night Jenna, Ben and I came home from church. Vicki had stopped by the house in Pauline's car on her way to choir practice and the headlights were shining on the path we walk to the house. Right in the headlight beam we saw a spider spinning its web between a tree and the ground. Later that night, after I had put the boys to bed I heard Ben get back up. He was really worried about Vicki and wanted to check to make sure she wasn't caught up in the spider web.
WEEDING AND WATERING. Anyone who has visited our house knows that neither Vicki or I have a talent for landscape design. And to be honest, if I can't maintain it with a riding mower and a weed eater I'm not too keen on it. Now Pauline has pretty flower beds around her house. We have been working in the flower beds some since she can't get out to see about them. The other day we were pulling weeds. Vicki, Jenna, Ben and I kept Nate pretty busy as he was hauling all the weeds we pulled to the edge of the yard is a little wagon. Ben really enjoys 'pulling the roots."
A little later we were watering the flowers. It was Ben's turn to have the hose. Vicki and Nate were on the front porch watering the hanging baskets. You can imagine what happens when you give a four year old a hose with his mom and little brother in range. As Vicki was scolding Ben for the third time I looked over at Nate who had been oblivious to what was happening. Looking down and wiping his shirt off he exclaimed, "Hey! My shirt wet." Poor Ben really wasn't trying to hit them...his aim was just off.
MAILBOX VANDALS STRIKE AGAIN. When Pauline moved into her house Vicki and I got her one of those plastic mailboxes as a housewarming present. Two years ago this past Memorial Day some kids came by, stuffed it full of straw and set it on fire. We were left with a puddle of plastic and a charred stump of a 4x4 post. I replaced it with a solid steel mailbox. One would have to work to tear this thing up. Well, last night some kids did come by and decide to have a crack at tearing it up. They succeeded in destroying the post but the mailbox, while slightly bent from being slammed on the ground, was still okay (I had to beat the door hinge a little so the door would close). I told Pauline that if this keeps up she'd eventually have a column of bricks with a mailbox embedded within.
FOURTH OF JULY We celebrated the Fourth with a cookout. Mom and Aunt Mar came over as well as Ruth Cole, a neighbor. After supper we shot off some fireworks and watched the fireworks shows in Springfield, Greenbrier, and close neighbors as best we could through the trees. Ben was so funny. He wasn't too worried about safety for Vicki and myself as we shot off our fireworks but was concerned about those from Springfield even though they were seven miles away.
Joe
An Update on Mom's Surgery
Monday, July 7, 2005
We appreciate every prayer that was spoken on Mom's behalf yesterday. Her surgery went well and she was back home by 1:00. Her pain medication still has her drugged up pretty well but at least she can get around with a walker and put a little weight on her knee when she needs to move around.
I am not good when it comes to thinking about questions when I am being briefed by the doctor after a surgery. I thought of dozens of questions a few hours after we left the hospital. Anyway, here's what I know. The underside on Mom's knee cap is badly eroded. All the cartilage that should normally be there is long gone. This has been the source of her arthritic pain all this time and probably the cause of the internal bleeding. He smoothed this out as best he could. She also has a very large spur growing off the side of her knee cap. The doctor decided not to make any further incisions to remove this so it is still there.
What is so nice is that Aunt Linda and Uncle Bob have arrived from Florida. They got here late yesterday. I don't know how we would manage this if they weren't here.
Joe
