Christmas 2011

Christmas 2011....it has been full of surprises...I'll start off with decorating the house in anticipation of a visit from Anne, Gene, Ben, McLean and Mary Elizabeth as well as from Mamaw and Papaw.  We intended to go to Athens to spend Christmas with Paige, Trevor, Piper and our soon-to-be newest addition, Larken.  Paige is at that "uncomforatable" stage of her pregnancy, so we were trying to avoid travel for her.  I'll get to how those plans changed  after I post pictures of our Christmas decorations.

So there you have it...all ready for our Christmas cheer, until....

...Garry was admitted to Lexington Hospital for an emergency blood transfusion.  He thought he was only dealing with trachael bronchitis...he was as weak as a kitten and as white as a sheet.  However, he nearly passed out and knew it was more serious than just bronchitis.  He really thought he had pneumonia.  He got in to see Dr. Marion who had bloodwork and other tests run.  That night, around 9:00 p.m., he got a call from Dr. Jackson, who was on call for Dr. Marion, to tell Garry his hemoglobin was down to a critical level of 4.7.  Sure enough, the next day, Dr. Marion contacted Garry's gastroenterologist and had him admitted to the hospital.  He had 5 units of blood transfused...that's a great deal of blood...it took nearly 24 hours to complete.  In the morning he had an upper GI performed and many ulcers were found.  Garry was one sick guy.  After receiving the new blood, his coloring returned and it seems my dear husband was back!  We have to watch this closely, but the doctors are hopeful that this can be treated with medication.  In the meantime, Paige, Trevor and Piper made the drive over and we had a beautiful Christmas together.

I put this grown up apron on Piper (the ties circled around her body twice) so we could make Christmas cookies and Piper said, "Okay, let's make cookies, chef Nonna!"  Yep, she's only 2 1/2. 

Piper had such a wonderful time...she enjoyed her books, toys, games and special time with daddy opening presents! 
There is nothing like child-like wonder at Christmas time...but our greatest gift is the Child upon whom our faith is based...Jesus...
Isaiah 9:6
   For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Hello!

May 11, 2011.  It is a date that changed my life and I am thankful to tell the story.  Who would have known that as of my last post, my health would have been so compromised?  Within 4 days of the last post back in May, I had turned completely yellow and could hardly lift my legs to walk.  When Dr. Marion first saw me he immediately sent me to specialists and my first diagnosis was pancreatic cancer.  However, even though cancer cells were spotted and I developed pancreatitis, which resulted in a 3 day hospital stay,  it was discovered after a series of biopsies in Columbia and then at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, that the cells were benign and I had an autoimmune disease where my own body was attacking my liver.  I have spent the last six months trying to adjust to medications and a lifestyle that must always bear in mind that the disease will never go away and I will simply have to live "a new kind of normal" as described by a wonderful Christian speaker, Carol Kent.  The best way to describe my disease is to compare it to Lupus, only because they are so closely related; one dealing specifically with the liver (my disease), and one dealing with anything from the kidneys, heart, skin, etc., (Lupus) - they are sister diseases because they both deal with the body attacking its own organs.  No one knows how the diseases are contracted, nor is there a cure.  That is not to say God can not choose to heal...we know He can and He does...He is the Great Physician, after all.  Here is a link that explains what it's like to deal with this disease on a daily basis...written in a very clever manner http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory-written-by-christine-miserandino/.  My friends who have read this link often ask, "How many spoons do you have today?".  Well, enough of that...life certainly goes on and I am thankful to have such a full, rich and vibrant life despite the ongoing battle within.  The picture below is of a group of friends who gathered around me after I was released from the hospital to love and encourage me. 

Today, well technically "yesterday" since I'm writing so late, is/was my daughter, Anne's, 30th birthday.

Do you think your children ever know how much you love them? Well, I honor her today because she is one of the bravest, most beautful of all women. The pictures following are of me on my 30th birthday and a few more of Garry and I and the girls my 30th year. We love because He first loved us...thank you Lord for Anne...for giving me 30 years of knowing this precious woman/daughter/friend.

 

The Potted Geranium; She'sFinished [the quilt that is!]; Projects; A Quick Trip to Athens

My friend, Vicki, asked me to join her on a drive over to Athens so she could  visit with her family.  What a blessing that her brother lives just a few miles away from Paige and Trevor!  I'll post some pictures of my visit, but first I'll talk about our stop in a quaint little town called Greensboro where we went antiquing and had lunch in a new found favorite restaurant called 'The Potted Geranium'.

Garry's mom, Helen, always takes the girls and I to a sweet tea room in Winter Haven when we visit, so when we found this place, I was delighted I got to enjoy a wonderful lunch with Vicki and her mother.  The food was delectable and so was the service!  I had cream with my tea for the first time...what have I been waiting for...it was like dessert!  We each got to choose our own pot of tea and each pot was served in a pretty fabric wrap. 

Backtracking a bit, we got in to Athens on Thursday afternoon...it was Cinco de Mayo, so I took Paige, Trevor, Piperkins and their friend, John, to dinner at a great Mexican restaurant.  We were fortunate to get there early because within minutes, the place was more than overflowing.  As a matter of fact, Vicki and her family tried to come to the same restaurant, but it was just too packed.  We got home and  mom and dad gave Munchkin P a bath and she promptly went to bed.  I whisked Paige away and took her to see Water for Elephants.  I had already read the book and the movie was quite different...but it was a glimpse of what circus life was like during the Depression Era.  I'm not sure I would recommend the movie...it was hard to watch the cruelty to animals, but I know it is just a minor glimpse of how heinous animals, and human beings, for that matter, were treated in that setting. 

The next morning Trevor and I took Miss Piper to Chick Fila for breakfast and a bit of play time...I couldn't  believe how brave she had gotten in just a few weeks!  She was climbing all the way to the car by herself.  As she climbed down, I could hear her talking to herself saying, "It's okay, don't be scared."  And down she came!  When we got home, Piper watched some Veggie Tales and let me tell you, that girl was stuck in place like she was glued...her whole little body would react to all the little developments in the movie.

The quilt has been finished except for the final label on the back, but I hadn't gotten around to taking pictures of it yet.  Piper's birthday is May 30, so I am thankful it is completed.  I hope she loves it as much as I loved making it for her.

                       After the top, above, was finished, I added the quilt filling and the backing.

                          The quilt was attached to the filling and the backing with quilt basting spray.

                    Then I trimmed around the edges to prepared for the edging, which was handmade.

 Here's a shot of the completed quilt:

 The backside of the quilt is pink, and a lot of work goes into the quilt after it is all put together so that the back is beautifully quilted.

We constantly have projects going around the house:

1.  The fireplace is finished - remember the awful green tile that used to be there?

2.  Sewing projects are all over the place:

3.  Floral arranging:

4.  Gardening:

 This beautiful rose has been in bloom for over a week...the rose bush produces the most fragrant roses I've ever smelled.... and the peonies just don't last long enough.

The rose picture brings me to the last part of the post -  the beautiful mother's day cards from the grandchildren!

                                Bye for now and never forget how much God loves you!