DON'T EXPECT TOO MUCH!!!!

Yesterday was Adam's LAST OFFICIAL day of medical school. Sunday they will put that diploma in his hand. WHAT AN ACCOMPLISHMENT!

Unfortunately for Adam, he should not expect a great deal of respect from his favorite MIL! I will still be making him lists of things to do, telling him how to do things, and in general being a MIL! He's a great son in law and a great dad to my youngest grands---BUT --he MUST need ALL my wisdom and guidance!

On a side note, I have found a solution to my sleeping ----PACK TO YOU DROP---then you fall into bed and pass out in a coma in short order. I will tell you about the evil-possessed monkey the kids have in the next post.

UNSETTLING TO SAY THE LEAST!

Henry went to bed before 6 tonight. All of this packing is really quite unsettling for him. I am making an effort tonight to get the den back into a semblance of order to help him with this time. Every room is in a state of extreme---packing and moving. I can only image what his sweet little 2 year old self must think!

I know how I feel at my ripe old age with all the changes that I have going on and I -sort of-understand what is happening. Well at a minimum I have the mental maturity to understand why there are so many changes. He does not have a clue! There's a huge stack of boxes in the dining room, his room is totally dismantled-along with Bubba's & Momma's room. It has to be stressful!

QUITE OFTEN---

I was reading a sweet young friend's post tonight about crying in front of her children. She had decided it was not a bad thing to do and she is absolutely correct.

I really remember very few tears that my Mother ever shed in front of me. This passes on to me the necessity of hiding my tears from others. I can't tell you how many times lately I have turned away so as to not cry in front of another. How many times I have changed the subject so I would remain "in control". I have literally told others-"I can't talk about it," more times than I care to say.

A Christian friend recently told me that I should be truthful when asked how I am. Most of us automatically respond, "Fine". He told me to be truthful and it was alright to say you are not fine.

Old habits die hard--I don't know if I can respond truthfully to how I am and letting the tears flow would be very out of character. How am I---Not always truthful about how I am.

ONE BIG MESS!

I'm not working until I've made some HUGE MESS! Things were going good today and we were making great strides in the HUGE job of packing up AND THEN---

Someone (NO ONE WILL FESS UP) had put up an almost full can of paint in the mud room storage cabinet without putting the top on secure. While cleaning out this cabinet, a shelf lost its pinning and the can slipped off and almost the ENTIRE can spilt on the mudroom tile floor. REALLY FUN TIME CLEANING UP THAT MESS!

Hopefully there will be NO MORE mishaps and things will continue to move along. At this moment---IT LOOKS LIKE A BOMB EXPLODED IN THE MIDDLE OF EACH ROOM!

On A Brighter Note

Check Out the Green Crocs!

LAST PLANE TICKET TO ERIE!

Here I am---once again---back in Erie---BUT --today it is beautiful Erie and not "Dreary Erie"! Four years have flown by! Erie has treated our kids well and our kids love Erie--but it is time to move South!

I arrived to find Camille---waiting for Momma! LOTS of packing to do and we also have to continue to live this week-SO clothes to laundry, food to cook, house to clean, yard to mow--and babies to tend! LOTS to do!

Adam's sweet parents drove me to the DFW airport this AM following our 4 AM wake up call. ABOVE & BEYOND! I drove to Fort Worth with Adam's bike on the back of my car and various toys filling up the back of my car--BOYS! It was white knuckle time from Dallas to outside of Fort Worth with bumper to bumper traffic and a thunderstorm to drive through. Makes me proud to live in little old Ruston!

Adam & Camille are taking advantage of Momma being here---I am babysitting the kids while they party with their friends. Something about a "FINAL BASH"!

OFF to bed--still not 100%-but working on it.

HE IS FAITHFUL!

If you are not a believer---you probably will not understand or attribute it all to coincidence---but I do not believe in coincidences in my life---ONLY GODcidences.

Invariably when I am at my lowest point and life is looking really sad---God sends a little ray of sunshine my way. A reminder of the MANY blessings He has showered on me.

"I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and give me a firm place to stand."

I do indeed have "A Rock" upon which to stand. PRAISE GOD!

FUNERAL PLANNING

NOT TO BE MORBID

BUT--

I actually am beginning to feel better---but as I sat here watching ANOTHER brainless made for television movie--I began to think about my funeral.--You know someone has to plan these things-after all--

SO I was thinking -the first thing you have to set is the time---

Why Not 5:30AM---???

After All

SO many of my days have begun with a wonderful early morning run and seeing the sun rise as I finished.

I need to share that joy with my friends--

After the Praise & Worship Service of Home Going
You ALL (well 3 or 4) walk out to see the glorious sunrise--

My Final Gift To You All!

IN THE LAND IN BETWEEN

I am thinking about returning to the Land of the Living. I woke up from my nap this afternoon--I might add a LONG nap--and thought---"Wait-I may feel a little bit better!". SO perhaps I might live after all! Taking my drugs---forcing myself to eat---getting better. Cough is beginning to get better---head does not hurt as bad---I am BETTER!

NOW to recover before leaving for Erie! Would hate to give this to my precious babies!

I will indeed be better if I don't spend most of the night on the couch trying to NOT cough!

I noticed the armadillo was back---killing him gives me cause to live!

PEAKS & VALLEYS

Picture from 08 Hiking Trip

I have had one or two ask about my food blog and what happened to it. I have taken the blog down as I don't have the physical, mental or emotional capacity at this time to pour into any other thing. Life has peaks & valleys. You don't really appreciate the view from the peak unless you have walked the valley. I am currently walking a valley.

"Even the saddest things can become, once we have made peace with them, a source of wisdom and strength for the journey that still lies ahead." Frederick Buechner

Moses did not meet God-face to face as he walked through the valley---but only after he finally had climbed the mountain. I am walking the path of the valley--but my eyes are always on the peak.

Ritzy Chicken

For my sweet niece, Adrian &
NO, Kim--I have NO secrets!

1 1/2 rolls Ritz crackers-finely crushed (I leave them in the sleeve and just knead the package)

1 stick butter ( I ALWAYS use the real thing)

2 c. diced chicken (I don't measure--usually use a lemon/pepper rotassarie chicken from deli)

1 c. chicken stock

1 can cream of chicken soup

8 oz sour cream

seasonings to your taste--always pepper--sometimes i get carried away and become wild and crazy with lots of different seasonings.

Melt butter & mix with cracker crumbs

Put 2/3 crackers in Pam sprayed 9 x 13 dish

place chicken

Pour mixture of remaining over

Sprinkle with rest of crumbs

350 degrees 30 minutes

Serves 4 really hungry or 6 normal eaters.
This easily doubles!

HACK HACK HACK

When do I get sick---when I am highly stressed and tired---AND THUS---I am sick! Not to worry"-the rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated" (Mark Twain). I am still cough cough coughing and plan to go to the doctor tomorrow if I have not started mending. TOO MUCH to do to be sick!

I MISSED THE COOL SNAP!

We've had a "cool snap" here in North Louisiana. This makes for WONDERFUL running weather. One or more of my sweet friends have shared their chest colds with me--SO I skipped my run this morning. I need to GET WELL and get well fast. As always---have a LOT to do! This is probably the last cold snap---SO HATED to miss that thrill! I have noticed I run up to almost a minute per mile faster when it is cool and not hot and humid.

I had already volunteered to help at Med Camp clean up today---so off I went. Hopefully I did not expose everyone there to my germs Tried to be careful. I headed the "Kitchen Clean-Up" crew. Ask me -in person- to share that little fun chore! Great camaraderie with the folks from Crossroads. They are sweet people---and don't mind working!

I am drugged up and off to bed! Need to sleep this off! Have no fear-I have the gun loaded and by the door---waiting for Mr. Dillo to show up again! I think the word has gotten around---everyone says they will call before showing up for a visit! LOL!

PLANNING A FUNERAL!

I got out and mulched up the straw where Mr. Dillo had made a HUGE mess Monday. I noticed this AM while pruning the azaleas that he had been back and to the same places.

OHHHHHHH--his life span has just shortened! I plan to sleep in the den and set my internal alarm for every hour on the hour. The rifle is loaded and by the door. NO COMMENTS about the POOR Dillo----You want him-you better come get him.

Dillo stew on the horizon!

OLD DEAD EYE--THE CONTINUTING VARMINT BATTLES

The best way to face embarrassment is to face it head on. TRUE CONFESSION TIME!

As you know, I have a continuing war going on with all of the varmints around here. I LOVE living in the woods--but the varmints can be destructive and annoying.

This morning is one of the few mornings of the week that I sleep past 4:45. At 6:00 AM, I start hearing this knocking sound---this is not the first time this week this has happened and I know immediately what it is. The crows are on the roof pecking. These pesky creatures not only tear up the straw carpet in the woods searching for food, but also run off all the song birds. This does not make me happy. So far I have not taken up arms-but when I start losing sleep-I am NOT happy!

I grab the 22 rifle and head out to take a shot. I'm not sure exactly how this happened--but somehow I have shot a hole in the side of the house. This is a small gauge gun-thankfully and the holes are small-BUT there is a hole in the shutter, a hole in the sheet rock inside, and a crack in the shower tile where the bullet finally shattered. MAYBE I MISSED !

That's OK---I have a game plan now and the crows are on borrowed time. I taken the time to become more familiar with the way to operate it and I'M READY! As a back up plan one of the guys at church-after cracking up-offered to come take care of the problem for me. SO GLAD I could provide entertainment before church for all the men!

THERE'S A MOUSE IN MY ATTIC

This sounds like a storybook for children BUT
This post is PG13 definitely!
There seems to be a mouse in my attic
He rehearses for "Dancing with stars" for most of the night
The past few nights I have lost sleep listening to him rustle.

I've HAD IT-I need sleep--so I have set the trap
I have lathered on the peanut butter
I have set the spring
I have NO mercy for a mouse!

BEWARE----Mr. Mouse----I am on the hunt!

GO TO THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE AND TAKE A RIGHT

Sister in law, Nancy, emailed and asked would I ride with her to Nephew, Coach Goose's, baseball team's playoff game. I quickly agreed since-after all-SOUNDS LIKE A ROAD TRIP! I didn't even ASK where we were going.

It turns out the game was in Hornbeck, LA----NEVER even heard of it---BAD SIGN! WE traveled southwest into the middle of nowhere and then took a hard right to The End Of Civilization. This little town had one flashing caution light---that's it! WELL---the fun part was the miles and miles of trees that we drove through getting there--with little and sometimes NO sign of inhabitants.

We arrived--but remember we left at 2 PM -IN THE DAYLIGHT-for an almost 3 hour drive. You KNOW you are back in rural Louisiana when the C Store where we stop for a break serves "Crawfish Boudin Balls" . Don't know about boudin---google it!

I am not a baseball fan-but I am a HUGE Michael (Goose) fan--so I was working on getting points from Nephew Michael. The game was exciting and Simsboro won-but the best part was seeing Michael coaching and interacting with his players. He is WONDERFUL!

We start home and there is probably an hour or so of daylight left. I have been the navigator going down and have a good memory for directions - BUT on the way home- I am convinced I know a shorter way home that I have traveled MANY a time--usually in the daylight or not driving. The best thing to say about our trip home is that God reminded me ONCE AGAIN that he's watching over me and other fools and children! We somehow got home and without incident and in good time--but it certainly wasn't due to my navigation skills. I kept telling Nancy we are headed Northeast and that's toward home. Of course this was AFTER she told me that she doesn't usually drive at night because of her night-vision being bad.

YEP--God tells care of fools and children!