Appendix - Out!

Thursday morning I was awaken to a telephone call. Lisa called to let me know that Shannon had spent the night at the emergency room with Madeline and the test results confirmed that Madeline needed immediate surgery to remove her appendix. I immediately jumped out of bed threw on my clothes and left, hoping to make it to the hospital before she was taken in to surgery. Unfortunately, I was just a few minutes late, but waited with Lisa and Shannon in the waiting room. Prayers were said for this precious little girl that was afraid and crying out for help. Lisa and Shannon waiting while Madeline is in surgery.

Madeline has just come out of surgery and recovery and being moved to a hospital room.
Shannon comforts Madeline.
Madeline wanted to be held.
Her first trip to the bathroom after the surgery.
The doctor wanted Madeline up and walking in the afternoon. She did really well, but she held her heart pillow on the incision and walked bent over a little.
Madeline had lots of visitors. This is her school teacher and two of her classmates. All the students made cards and sent little gifts. Madeline had three of her neighbors come to visit, several church friends, the teacher's aid, the bus driver sent a card and gift, her physical therapist, and lots of friends and family.
This morning, the nurse let Madeline help her take out the IV. She was a brave little girl.

Madeline can only have clear liquids and jello. On Saturday she can include ice cream, pudding, and apple sauce. On Sunday, she can have soft food. She just told me that she is really hungry. I feel so sorry for her. I've got to go and make her some jello for later this evening.

Madeline got to go home after lunch today. I brought her home to my house and Shannon will come this evening after she finishes her classes.

God answered our prayers. Madeline is doing great. Still a little sore, but doing really well.

Happy Belated Birthday to "M"

Here you are in grandpa's arms. You're much to big now for grandpa to pick-up and hold. It has been a joy and blessing to watch you grow and mature into the young man you are today. It was so thoughtful of you to wait until we could come out to visit before you were baptized last summer. We enjoyed being part of this special occasion and witnessing your commitment to the Lord. It was thrilling to hear about you preaching at church one Sabbath. I want you to know that your grandpa had a big smile on his face when he heard the news. Your talents are many and we pray that you will continue to use them for the Lord.

You are the oldest of our seventeen grandchildren, soon to be eighteen, and we are both so very proud of you! We hope you had a great birthday celebration. Happy Belated Birthday, "M".

We love you.

Grandma and Grandpa

Thank You!

What a nice surprise to have a new face lift! Thank you to my daughters for keeping me updated. I love the look!!

Moving

Have you ever moved? I remember moving several times. Three of the moves we had the luxury to have a moving company come in and pack, load, and unload. The other moves were not as convenient. Packing and moving a home with six children running all around was an interesting experience for the movers, I'm quite sure. I remember one hot and humid summer in August when we were moving from Oklahoma City to Chicago. We turned the air conditioning off since the doors were propped open while they moved furniture and boxes to the truck. Natalie was just three years old and was busy playing with the water-hose. She was keeping everyone cool that came within water spraying distance. The movers kept coming into the kitchen from the garage asking me what was to go and what was not to go. They just didn't see the treasures in the garage that I did. I told them many times, everything goes. Still they would come in and ask, "Does that pile of bicycle parts go?" Of course. You never know when the kids will need spare parts. Finally, I was exasperated and told them, "Everything goes that is in the garage!" So, they loaded everything in the garage into the moving van. A few weeks after our arrival in Chicago, the boxes from our move, labeled garage, were still in the garage unopened. But, there was something that smelled really bad in the garage and we couldn't figure out what it could be. Then we started opening the boxes and surprise!!! They had packed our garbage that was on the side of one of the walls in the garage in Oklahoma City. I had told them to pack everything, I just didn't think they would pack garbage.

Anyway, the point to my blog today is that Lisa's parents have moved. Or, I should say are still moving. It's not just a simple houseful either. It's a whole dairy farm, including the cows! The cows are scheduled to be moved tomorrow right after they have been milked. The cows have to be milked twice a day without fail.

Yesterday, just as I had started my commute home, Lisa called asking me if I could come and pick-up the girls at her parents new farm? When I got home I changed my cloths and gave Lisa a call to find out if they had had dinner yet. They hadn't. So I told them I would run by and pick up supper for them and come over to pick up the girls. Some of the help they thought would be there to help unload the semi, weren't going to be able to come, so I gave my cousin, Tony, a quick call to see if he would run over and help them out. He was home and went right over to help. He only lives about a mile from the farm. When I arrived there were kids running everywhere. Lisa's sister and her husband were there with there two children. Lisa and Ryan were there with their four kids, and Lisa's parents have two little boys of their own there. Everyone was busy unloading vehicles, trucks, and the semi. That is except for the children. They were having a grand time playing in the barn with the new kitties they found. The former owners left all the cats and kittens. The girls had spent most of their day playing in the barn and they looked like little barn children. Smudges of dirt on their sweet little faces, dirty little hands, muddy "people boots" and lots of excitement and hugs and kisses for grandma!! I loaded up Madeline, Hannah, and Gracie in the backseat of my car and headed for home.

As soon as we walked in the house I started running the bath water and added Mr. Bubble. They needed a little soaking, so all three got in at the same time. They had a great time splashing and it was amazing that all that dirt soaked right off!! They were squeaky clean, again!!!

Lisa had sent home a basket of clothes, but there were limited clothes for the girls. Most of the clothes were for the boys and Ryan and Lisa. I had some extra diapers in one of the dressers in the little girls room, so I put one on Gracie. I found a t-shirt in the basket of clothes Lisa had sent, so I put that on her, but her little legs were cold. I found a pair of white thick knee socks in my sock drawer, so I put them on Grace. The heel was at Gracie's knee and the top of the sock came to top of her thigh. Perfect! Hannah and Madeline had equally designing night clothes, but all were happy to go to bed. Ryan, Lisa, and the boys arrived soon after the girls were put to bed, and the boys were so tired, they didn't even take a shower, they just climbed into their beds dirt and all.

I know it was a busy and stressful day for everyone that helped with the move, but I had a great time with the girls and it was so much fun watching the children play with the kitties in the barn. The kitties are really cute.

It's a big old farm house.

Gracie waiting for me to put her in the car.

Lisa's sister's little girl and one of the barn kitties.

Madeline looking for more kitties.

Lisa's dad estimated that there was 9 tons of household belongings on the semi. They're fortunate they have their own semi and that Lisa's dad is licensed to drive it.

Playing in the barn with the kitties.

Madeline.

Little Ryan is on the left and Ryan is on the right. I think little Ryan is catching up on height with his dad.

This is Lisa's little brother, Johnny. He is such a sweet little boy. He likes the new farm.

Lots of helpers.

Spring?

Today was an absolutely beautiful spring day with temperatures in the 60's. Bob's sap collecting has come to an end because of the warm weather. He collected 798 gallons of sap so we'll have plenty of maple syrup for ourselves and to share with friends and family. Today when I got home from work, Bob was out in the garden. Todd shared some of his secrets to getting a garden started early and Bob decided to give it a try. Planting small plants in what Todd calls, tunnels. They're protected from an unexpected frost

As I walked around the yard I discovered that the daffodils are coming up in the yard and not just by the foundation of the house.

I love daffodils and tulips.
Bob pulled carrots from the garden and filled this five gallon bucket.

It's so exciting watching the yard wake-up. We also enjoy watching the birds begin making their nests. Today Bob saw a bluebird on top of one of our bluebird houses. We have two bee hives and the bees are out buzzing around too.

It Was A Great Weekend

It was a great weekend having friends and family come to visit. Tina and Diane arrived with a car packed full of stuff which included two bunnies.
There is a black female dwarf bunny and a white male dwarf bunny. Ryan and Lisa gave in to the begging of the children and are going to let the bunnies have one litter of babies. Both of the bunnies are very tame, but the white bunny is especially tame. The girls loved playing with the bunnies. Diane brought a cage, water bottle, hay, and food for the bunnies. She was so thoughtful to bring everything for the bunnies new home. Thank you Diane.

Shannon and Madeline came over for dinner and brought their new dog, Cooper. He is a beautiful dog and very well behaved.

We all had a great time eating dinner together and getting to know each other better. Tina and Diane were excited that I had made 5 can casserole. Both Tina and Diane were good sports and didn't hesitate to try the various vegetarian dishes.

Tina brought gifts for all the children which were a big hit. She also brought a few hand-me-down dresses for Hannah and Gracie which are adorable. And the big hit with Gracie was a pair of "People Boots". They are a little too big, but Gracie didn't mind. She put them on and there was no taking them off. Lisa called this morning to let us know that Gracie slept with the boots and had them on this morning and on her way outside to play.

Tina and Diane brought this beautiful pansy hanging basket which I immediately hung on the front porch.

Spring tulips were welcomed in our home. Another thoughtful gift Tina and Diane brought for all to enjoy. Bob put them in one of my crystal vases and I moved it from room to room so I could enjoy them. Their final placement was on the kitchen table. I love the color. Tina also gave me a small crystal single stem vase and a crystal candle holder. They are all lovely and I'll have fond memories of Tina's visit every time I look at them.

Tina's reason for coming was to pick-up her new puppy that I have been caring for. Bob and I have fallen in love with this little puppy. It is so sweet and she is really smart!!!

A tired little puppy.

Tina loved her little puppy.

This is the cutest little puppy.

Tina, Diane, and I had such a great time with show and tell. Tina brought a coat she had made for her daughter, Tami, many years ago. It is just beautiful.

This is a figure skating dress Tina made for one of her daughter's competitions. She spent 60 hours making it. Most of the hours were spent sewing on the beads and sequins.

We had such a good time looking through albums of pictures of all three families and getting to know each other better. We all three have so much in common.

I'm so upset with myself because I forgot to get a picture of the mittens Diane knitted with wool she spun. I tried them on and they fit perfect.

Bob got up early on Sunday and made homemade bread and an apple pie. He was going to make them on Friday, but we had a dryer crisis. The belt on the dryer broke and I was in the process of washing sheets and towels and they needed to be dried. Bob went in to town and purchased the belt and took the dryer apart. He was able to fix it in plenty of time to get the laundry dried and put away, but there wasn't time for making the bread or apple pie. So it was really thoughtful of him to do it for us this morning.

After breakfast, we continued our show and tell and then decided to go outside and take a walk. Diane and Tina were a little surprised to see how big our garden really is. When we came back to the house they both took a peek in the root cellar. The day went by much to quickly and soon we had finished our lunch and with the car all packed, I placed the little puppy in her new carrier in the backseat. A prayer was said for their safe travels home and with hugs and "see you soon" we waved good-bye.

My friends are coming from Connecticut

I have lots to blog about from this last week's happenings, but I haven't had time. I have a baby, I mean puppy that occupies every minute. She is so sweet and I enjoy having her to play with. She has had a very busy week. Today Tina, the puppy's mommy, is coming to pick her up. I'm excited that Tina and her friend Diane are coming for the weekend, but it's going to be a sad day when the puppy leaves and my Nanny days are over. Tina has been getting ready all week for her trip from Connecticut to New York and will be leaving early this morning. Her friend Diane is also coming and she is bringing two bunnies for Hannah and Gracie. I really don't know how they are going to fit everything into the car. I think they travel like I do. They take everything but the kitchen sink. When Bob and I travel, and I keep taking stuff out to the car while he tries to find a place to put everything, I'll tell Bob that if something won't fit in the car, I'll just hold it on my lap. And many times I've done just that. So, Diane, if everything doesn't fit . . .