What a Surprise!!! New Baby On The Way

Congratulations to my oldest son and his wife!!

A new baby is on the way....November 1st.

They have 4 at their house.

That is the next to the youngest leaning on Lisha Jo.So, there are 2 girls and 2 boys in Jerod and Lisha Jo's

house ....... not sure what they want yet. I think the

boys would probably like another boy.

I have 7 grand kids, 4 girls and 3 boys so another

boy would round it all out just fine.

But little girl outfits are so cute!!

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Makes Me Feel Like the Cat

This is how I feel today....like crawling under a quilt

and hiding...hiding till good health comes.

That would be a long time of hiding...as

I don't think good health will ever come

again unless God gives me a miracle.I have been doing better but this week I am fighting

a case of diverticulitis and having to take antibiotics

again. I just finished a round a few weeks ago for an

infected tooth. Antibiotics drag me down. I avoid them

till the "last dog dies, or at all cost at times".

After reading some of the other CFSers posts, I wonder

if I am having herxing symptoms when on

antibiotics.

I have no right to gripe, as last year was very rough

and I have a lot of stress with Mom. Stress with my

husband's health, older brother's health and family

stress in general...not to mention the economy.

So I am thankful I have been doing as well as

I have been.

Mom is living in a little "Senior Apartment" not far

from us and we have home health coming in

twice a day to help with her. It is a lot better

than dealing with her being in the nursing home.

I still had to go there everyday to stay on top

of things with her there...now we do it in the apartment.

I really do not think she will ever go back to the

farm to live again. I am sorry for that....I know

she gets homesick for her home, but I can

care for her better here and get better help to

come in with her in this county.

Goldie still loves to find new hiding places and

she really likes the quilts that are sitting waiting

for me to bind them. Putting off binding my quilts

is my worst habit....I think sometimes it is because

they are so big and it take so much energy to wrestle

them around to get them through the sewing machine.

Or that is my excuse...really it is true.

More Soaking than Sewing This Last Week

I spotted two old quilts at an antique store in my home town a couple

months ago and went back last week and they were still there!! I

usually do not go into antique stores but was with a friend and

had some time to kill and wondered on in....boy I am glad I did.

I kept thinking about these quilts but knew I had more important

things to do with any spare cash in our budget (dentist).

The prices were kinda high in my opinion as they were around

twin size. The Wedding Ring smaller with stains and needing

some repair.

My son went back in later and was able to get these both for me for $140!!! Maybe that was too much, but I love them and love that my son showed the kindness and love to do that for me....as quilts go...he doesn't get too excited. Now if they were old guns, it would have been a different story altogether with him. So this week I spent 3 days soaking the white one in a product I found called Retro Clean. I don't have an after pic of it yet but it really worked. The yellow one I just soaked in Tide as I did not have enough of the Retro Clean to do both and the store I bought it at is about 45 minutes away from here. I put this quilt in a clear tub and added the mixture and soaked it out in the sun on the deck for almost 3 days. I would go out and stir it and lift it around and the Retro Clean really did work. There is only one tiny yellowish spot left on it. I covered my plastic tub with chicken wire as I was afraid my outside cat would try to drink it!! The above pic is after the the Tide soak. It cleaned up pretty good. All the Dresden plates are of old original feed sack material. I am not sure how old these are as the guy in the store purchased them at a sale and had no background on them. Isn't it sad that some family member spent so much time on them and they are not passed down in her family? Oh, well, I love them and appreciate her work!! I wish they had been labeled...reminder to self to get on that task. So instead of a design wall I am sharing a soaking deck!!! If you have any ideas on how old you think these may be feel free to comment!! If you have any stained fabric or quilts that need cleaning I would highly reccomend the Retro Clean.

Mom's 90th Birthday

Today my Mom celebrated her 90th birthday.My cousin Ersel brought her a cake with

a picture she had taken about 6 years ago

printed on it.

It was a small affair with a few of my cousins

in Mom's new apartment she is living in here

in the same town with me.

There were times in the last few months starting

Nov 2nd that I did not know if she would make it

to celebrate this day. The Lord has a plan for her,

I am not sure what it is but he has brought her through

two serious illnesses in the last 3 months ...so he has a

plan...Lord help her or all of us to do your will with the

time you have granted us with this saint of yours.

I am glad we had this day and am so grateful for

my cousins for making it happen.

With my energy being spent out looking after

Mom and her needs lately there was not energy left

to throw a whing ding.

So I am very thankful they did this for Mom.

My short, dark haired, unbelievably energetic, almost 78

year old cousin Ersel planned this and we had a great time.

On the front row left is my Mom and my last living Aunt

on my dad's side....his sister, my Aunt Della is 93.

Next to her is my cousin Henry.

Back row is my sister-in-law Carolyn, cousin Bessie,

spunky Ersel, me and cousin June. These are

some of my cousins on my Dad's side of the family.

I am the youngest of them all. I was a late in life

kid so most of my cousin's on dad's side were

already grown or almost when I was born.

We had a great afternoon and Mom enjoyed herself.

Been a Long Time Since Posting

Mom, in October after a trip to the beauty shop..

just a few weeks before she got sick.

Well I finally caved in and got my hair colored

the 2nd day of Nov. I like it. Got it cut a little

different also.I turned my cell phone off while I was in the shop and my

brother Jerry was trying to call and tell me my

Mom was not feeling well.

We thought she had a stomach virus.

After taking her to the ER we soon found out she

had a paralyzed colon and 2 other abdominal ruptures.

She could not be operated on. She pulled through but was

very ill for a week.

Mom was in the hospital from the 2nd of Nov till the

day before Thanksgiving and then the Dr transferred her

to the skilled care wing of a local nursing home.

This has been tough. She has been there for 11 days

now and I hate it that she is there

I hate it that I can't take care of her.

I hate it that there are people that look at

me and think I am just fine and should

be able to take my Mom home and take

care of her.

I am exhausted and worn out most of the time.

I try to go to the nursing home everyday.

I usually end up crashing a day every 5 or so.

Invisible illnesses are so hard to deal with..

after all I look ok...why shouldn't I be able to take

care of my almost 90 year old Mom.

CFS....Fibro...and fighting my way back

from major depression has really made this

a hard road to travel ...but I am still here and doing the best I can.

If the best I can don't suit some people that is just too

bad because you know what ???? The best I can doesn't really

make me a very happy camper either.

I think I hate nursing homes but am glad for the care

they can give her....they have got to be one of the

most depressing places to visit and spend time in.

I try to look for something bright and happy or funny

each time I go...it is not always easy to find..but I usually do.

I don't know yet what God has in store for Mom ..she is really

slipping physically and mentally and it just rips my heart out to

watch her slide down hill. I wish she could just try to eat.

She has not eaten anything solid in more than a month....except

a cookie I forced down her yesterday.

She lives on Ensure and other supplements.

It is just plain tough to see her this way.

Lord give me the strength.....to endure....please...AMEN