Happy Count Your Blessings Day

Im back with round two of a horribly nasty stomach virus (I assume thats what it is and not actually possession by an alien or the devil himself!). I began feeling kind of dizzy on Monday and nauseated during a procedure. That never happens. Then Tuesday at lunch time, after having felt run down all morning, I began feeling SICK! Then vomiting started. Then the diarrhea. I had the most horrible pain that felt as though it was jabbing "STOMACH VIRUS WUZ HERE!!" signs all the way down through my GI tract. I had to leave work early. I know they must think that I am the most broken down, sickly person they have ever met! So far Ive had a kidney stone, cardiac issues that led to ablation, a stomach virus (#1) and now stomach virus deux! Hmm oh and there was a migraine mixed in there at some point as well!
Today was a much better day! I made it back to work. Had a very quick morning seeing patients. Lila spent the morning with me since she didnt have school. She was so good! I still felt kind of ill and sore from the previous days activities. I had the Zofran grogginess. We did go over to my mom's shop and eat Thankgiving lunch with her. The squash casserole and the smoked turkey that my parents made...to die for!! And it was the first real food I had had in a while!
Once I got home, I went to bed, slept for 2 hours. When I awoke, I began having the worst case of "heart burn" ever. I took Maalox. 4 Gaviscon. Zantac 150. Maalox. And then I realized that the attack that I was probably having may not have been heart burn so much as esophageal spasms related to the acid burn I suffered from vomiting up my gizzard yesterday. So I took a Lortab 5/325. I NEVER, EVER take that. I want you to know that I was in SEVERE PAIN! If it hadnt been in my sternum and radiating up my throat...I would have rushed to the hospital for complications related to my heart or a heart attack. After about 30 minutes, the Lortab helped.
So I got to snuggle up on the couch with my two beautiful girls and watch Enchanted (again..I like it!). I love my girls. Lyndi is a mean little cuss that is hard headed! Her new thing to say is "in a minute!" Wonder where she learned that Daddy? Anyway, it was so nice getting to spend time with them. I thought about what things will be like in a few years. I really feel so blessed with those two. Now, they really make me want to pull my hair out sometimes. But I love them so much! Its all those precious little moments that seem to take the sting out of all the more aggravating times. And when I say my children are aggravating, I mean it! They are two of the most strong willed, independent children I have ever seen in my life! I really think that if they put their minds to something in life...they will be able to do it! Both of them so SO SO SMART! And they both have common sense! What a huge blessing! Dont get me wrong, they still spill things and knock things over! Lyndi colors all over herself and tortures the cats. But I KNOW I have been blessed. They make me laugh. They make me feel very loved...especially Lila. She is a sweet heart. She has always taken the time to show me how much she loves me.
And so then I sat up and my chest began to make me want to shriek with pain! Thus, Lortab #2. *sigh* Tomorrow is Thanksgiving day. I love Thanksgiving! And tomorrow my mom and dad are going down to Granny's house in Riddleville. Thats Pete's grandmother that is 94 years old! She has been saying since she was 50 years old that THIS might be her last Thanksgiving, Christmas.....you get the idea. But we dont take chances. It could be..she is 94. But we all say that she will probably outlive all of us! But Betty, Pete's mom will be cooking. She is an awesome cook! It will be nice I think. I just pray that Im over this ICK that I have been dealing with this week!
Enough whining about my gut....Today when I was leaving work, Sherrie hugged me bye. She is traveling to Louisana tonight. Or is it Mississippi...either way..its a long drive! She is going to see her dad and uncle. She wished me a happy thanksgiving. I hated to hug her because I would surely hate it if she got this ick from me! But....she is such a dear friend...I just love her! She took her chances!
Im grateful for all of my dear friends and family! I am truly a blessed person! And just know, this isnt just the Lortab talking either! :) I have great neighbors. I go to a great church. I have a great job! I have a wonderful, loving family (although a little nutty!). I have a great family of in laws...it just doesnt get better than that! Thank you God for all of your blessings! And please Lord, be with us as we travel tomorrow and this weekend. And please, please, please let me be able to eat and enjoy Thanksgiving dinner! AMEN!

After dinner thoughts

Its Sunday again. Once a week we have a repeat of the same....
This week and weekend was different. The weeks are always different. We have the same days but they always bring some new and interesting occurrence. Otherwise, I guess we would just shrivel up and die of the blahs!
This week, I am still recovering from my heart ablation. Not so much in that I had pain and such. Its just an adjustment, having to learn a new life without that strange surge in my heart rate. In the last week, my heart would get a little excited, feel like it might build up to something and just fizzle out. The doctor told me this would happen. The thing that I noticed more is that I have been a little more nervous. I have been nervously anticipating change. I have had strange feelings (emotions even) during this time. My greatest fear is that I am going to have anxiety. WHAT IF this heart stuff really was just anxiety. Crazy I know. Why not just set myself up for failure.
A couple of weekends ago, I was talking to a lady that I go to church with. She told me that she always gets depressed during the holidays. Her children (and grand kids) recently moved out of the country. I told her that she needed to correct her way of thinking. She needed NOT to say that she ALWAYS gets depressed during the holidays. That's a self fulfilling prophesy. If you say you are then you ARE. Why not say that this holiday season, I'm going to feel comforted. I am going to feel thankful. I am going to feel fulfilled. Pete told me that I sounded just like my old doctors that used to say,"Marci, you just have to get your mind right!" And I hate more than anything that I might have sounded like that. That's not what I meant. Depression and anxiety are tricky demons. If you ever read Joyce Meyers, "Battlefield of the Mind", she says, " Whatever you may be facing or experiencing right now in your life, I am encouraging you to GO THROUGH IT and NOT GIVE UP!" "Its easy to quit; it takes faith to go through." By my friend saying that she ALWAYS gets depressed, I think about what Joyce says about "...avoidance of hope is a type of protection against being hurt. Disappointment hurts! So rather than be hurt again, many people simply refuse to hope or to believe that anything good will ever happened to them. This type of behavior sets up a negative lifestyle. Everything becomes negative because the thoughts are negative. Remember Proverbs 23:7: "For as he thinks in his heart, so he is...." Joyce explains what our tried and true Bible tells us.
Joyce also talks about this fear of anxiety I have. She too must have gone through something similar. She asked God one time, "What is this feeling I always have?" God responded, " Evil forebodings." She said that she didn't know what that meant at the time. She found in Proverbs 15:15: All the days for the desponding and afflicted are made evil [ by anxious thoughts and forebodings], but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of circumstances]."
She said that she realized that at that time most of her life has been miserable due to these evil thoughts and forebodings. She admits that she did have times when certain circumstances were hard but even when she didn't, she was still miserable. Her thoughts were "poisoning my outlook and robbing me of ability to enjoy life and see good days."
Philippians 4:6 A verse that I love but I always have a hard time just being still and letting it be : Do not fret of have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything , by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.
Don't get me wrong. I am no longer that nervous, anxiety ridden person that I once was. I was afraid of life. I even used to have a hypersensitive nervous reflex. If I heard a loud noise or someone unexpectedly tapped me to get my attention, I would practically jump out of my skin. It was a JOLT. I worried about EVERYTHING. I could "what if" anything and everything to DEATH! Fortunately for me though, I found support and guidance.
First, I found the utmost support in God's word. I saw a newly diagnosed, cancer patient reading "Battlefield of the Mind" while she was receiving treatment. She told me that she needed all the support she could get. She found comfort in what Joyce had to say about God and faith. I did too when I read it. She helped me see that God was really a loving God that was there to help me have peace.
Secondly, I sought out council. I began talking to a mental health counselor. She was a very nice person. Unfortunately, she moved shortly after I started seeing her. But in the few visits I had with her, I found out some very interesting things about myself.
I asked her why, when I was in my 20's, I was a police officer. I feared nothing. I wasn't afraid of the world. Then suddenly, without warning, I feel like I am afraid of everything. She asked me if this all started after having children. I told her it had. She told me that having children changes everything. We go (as moms) from having to look out for numero uno (myself) to suddenly having to protect our precious little ones from a very scary, dangerous world. Its instinctual. I had never thought of it like that. I thought I was just over reacting to life in general.
Third, I found that taking an antidepressant helped me. It took the edge off. I wasn't quite so hypervigilant. I never experienced that "I just don't care!!" attitude that some people describe. But I was finally able to deal with things a little more.
When I began having problems with my heart, I was also in nursing school, raising a 2 year old, married, had a step child and an ex wife to deal with. I can see why doctors brushed my heart issue off. But after hearing that I might possibly have a fatal heart rhythm called Wolfe Parkinson White syndrome and being under a tremendous amount of stress from school AND being BROKE financially AND thinking that Pete might have to raise our child alone, SCARED ME TO DEATH! So I know that I did develop anxiety and eventually some depression (mostly after having Lyndi). Life can be very demanding. And frankly, I couldn't handle all of the pressures that Life had to offer. Instead of being able to build up a strong hold, I crumbled.
But eventually I was able to dig myself out of the dark hole that I fell into. I was able to find peace, mostly through my faith. And then, I was able to (after 4 years) find doctors that were willing to take the time to figure out what was really going on with my heart.
So this FEAR of anxiety (which is really only fear in the first place!!!!) that I have been experiencing, I know Ill be ok. I know that no matter what, I am not alone. God is looking out for me and is with me constantly. And I know that God's word never changes. Maybe if I get a free moment some time during the week, I will pick Joyce's book up again and read. Im truly grateful that God places people, things, opportunities and such in our lives...just at the right moment.

Frisk em boys!

So my friend Sherrie had an amusing little tid bit to share with me about her 5 year old son Connor. Connor is all boy! He MUST wear cow boy boots daily and with everything. I wonder if he inists on wearing them even to the pool or the beach? Ill have to ask. But Sherrie told me that at church yesterday, one of the Sunday school workers came to her with a gun in her hand. A toy gun of course. She said she had "found it" on Connor. Sherrie was quite perplexed about this issue. She said that she has to do the daily "shake down" of his blanket before Connor is allowed to go into school or whereever. I have to do it too to my girls (especially Lila). Kids are always wanting to take a little toy in with them to school to share with their classmates. But Connor had a bit of a suprise for his mom. When she asked the Sunday school teacher where she found the gun, she replied, "in his boot!" What a terribly ingenius place to pack heat! Sherrie said that she knew she had to shake out his blanket, but she had NO IDEA that she would have to start frisking him daily now too!! What a smart kid! Now let me just say this.....coming from law enforcement and all....but if a 5 year old is smart enough to figure out how to hide a toy weapon in his boot...shouldnt a teenager also be smart enough to figure this out?? Ok, and we have school killings/shootings WHY????

Be Still My Beating Heart...

Day one status post cardiac ablation.....
Let me just say that a Zofran hangover is nooooo fun. I dont think I even like ME when Im hungover. But I have have to say that my procedure went quite well!
On Friday, I was told to be at the hospital at 8AM. I had no idea when they would take me back to the Cath lab. When I arrived I was quickly ordered to disrobe and step into something more comfortable (and fashionable I might add...) like a hospital gown and double sided grippy socks. Let me say that the socks must have been a "one size fits all" accessory piece...they didnt fit all..I guess thats why they have two sides of grippies so if they get twisted around your feet, you still wont be able to slip! GENIUS! I wonder what law suit brought about an idea like that?
At any rate, my nurses were very nice. I had two that assisted me in the private room that I was in. They started a 20g and a 22g IV in each forearm. I requested the forearm sticks. I only had to be stuck once in each arm. The first nurse that was going to start the IV wasnt really comfortable with the stick so she gave it to her partner that said I was the second patient to request the forearm that day. I really detest the hand, wrist or the AC. Nurse #2 did a great job starting my IVs. Both of my nurses were super nice and friendly. They made waiting for the procedure really comfortable. They also brought me toasty warm blankets to keep me cozy.
Mom, Dad and Pete came in and waited with me. Also, Morris, a pastor from a local church came to pray with me. Morris is an old family friend. He has known me since I was a child. He is the son of the people my Dad works for in the auto body business. Morris was so nice and said a beautiful prayer. His presence was greatly appreciated. My parents were so on edge about this whole thing. They really were nervous about someone monkeying with their daughters heart. I guess I can see that.... I would be too with my girls! :)
At about 10AM, Monty, RN came in to tell me that they were preparing the room for me to come back. Dr. Woodard came in to explain what would happen. I think he helped to put my parents at ease. They did comment that he was really young. I dont think that age is necessarily a marker for skill or ability. At any rate, I was ready to go GET ER DONE!!
I kissed Pete bye. My parents told me that they loved me. And off I went!!
I was taken into one of the cath labs by Monty and Greg. Both were RNs. Once back in the back, I met a very militaristic, sort of intimidating looking fellow named Joe. This was JOE THE RN. I don't think he knew Joe the Plumber. All three fellows were so nice! After the fog of medications I received yesterday, I'm not sure that I remember all details exactly but I know that at least two of the guys were married to nurses that ALSO worked in the Cath lab. I thought that was really pretty cool! Everyone knew Dr. M that I worked with.
While prepping me, we all chatted. One person made a comment in nurse humor...I laughed. One of the nurses questioned why that nurse made such a comment to me in nurse humor...he said back, "SHE IS ONE OF US..!" How cool is that? I'm one of them. They are one of me. Its like a fraternity. They were really cool too. So this is what I spent 40k on in becoming a nurse! WOW!!! perks...
Anyway...
So, after a quick shave, lots of prepping, cleaning, placing monitors, wiring and taping, they began the drugs.....
The only thing I remember during the procedure is that at one time, my heart felt like it was beating throughout my ENTIRE body. It was pounding! The rest...was history.
So I awoke in a new room. My family was there. I only vaguely remember throwing up. Pete tells me that I told them that I had a migraine from not eating and then I said I felt sick. Then like I normally do with a migraine...I threw up! They tried to treat my migraine with 3 Tylenol....no dice. Pete said that as I began throwing up, Monty and Greg came in the room, began a semi-code maneuver, holding my groin so I wouldn't rupture anything..barking orders to get me some Zofran and trying to get an emesis basin to me in record time. Pete said that he really thought the emesis basin was kind of a little ridiculous thing. Number one, it doesn't hold much, and its hard to hold and not get yak on your fingers. I needed a wash basin.
This sort of episode recurred three times while I was trying to recover. Finally they broke out the BIG guns and gave me Morphine for my migraine. I got 2mg first and later 2 more. I hadn't ever had Morphine. It made me feel LOOPY. But it took care of the pain. I semi dosed on it. I found that I was aware of my bodily sounds...like breathing. But my brain was semi asleep. I think I scared myself awake when I heard myself breath. Mom commented that I must be hallucinating.
Anyway...the procedure went well according to Dr. Woodard. He said that I had an errant node that had probably been there since I was born. He said that as people with this problem get older, the node tends to act up more. Mine was definitely acting up and getting worse. He said that I have a 96-98% chance of being cured. I dont remember any of this. I dont remember a lot of things.
After we left the hospital we went to the Waffle House. I had to eat! I ate a waffle and drank a sprite. It was a great FIRST meal!!
Today when I woke up, I found that my groin is black and blue. I still have tape residue on my groin, abdomen and leg. My whole body was sore, especially my groin, my chest, my neck and my back. After being in wrist and leg restraints for 2 hours while I had my procedure, I found that I just ached all over. Thank goodness for Tylenol and Advil.
This afternoon, I took aout a 2.5 hour nap. When I awoke, my hangover from all the meds had worn off. I didn't feel dizzy any more. We made homemade pizza's tonight for dinner. I haven't been lifting anything or doing much of anything. Jack the cat has tried to trample on my groin a few times. That hasn't been any fun. Other than that, things have been going just fine. I'm getting around a little slower.
I can tell something has happened. My heart hasn't been firing the way it used to. Its like it wants to but then it stops. Pete said that that is exactly what the doctor said it would do. Its bizarre to say the least. I am really curious to see what anxiety I have if any now. I pray that I don't have any. But if I do...Ill deal with it. Ive dealt with it for 4 years now, Ill still be able to. But if I don't have any....what a day of freedom for me!!
I want to thank everyone for all of the prayers, love and phone calls (and emails!!). I felt really prepared to go into this procedure. I knew God was looking out for me. I never felt nervous about this whole thing. I knew that no matter what happened, I would be taken care of. That's a peace unlike any other.

Its all in the delivery

The other day at work, I found myself standing at the desk with Dr. M and Sherrie. We were talking about a particular patient. They mentioned that he was a teacher. I was like, "huh! I wonder what he teaches?" Sherrie, my bud and my pal, had to chime in, "SCHOOL!" Thanks Sherrie! Sheesh! And she had to follow that comment up with a smart aleky grin. She was quite proud of herself. I had to admit...she was right and it was funny. There's nothing like someone having to give their two cents worth. But I got to thinking that afternoon that comments like that can either come across as funny or really just jerky. Its all in the delivery and the intentions of the deliverer.
I wasn't the least bit offended by Sherrie's comment. But I thought of the millions of similar comments that people have made in the past that have led me to think...this person is a jerk. Their comments are meant to be really derogatory. Their delivery comes from a point high above the very nose that they look down upon you from. Even still, I had to stop and ask myself, "Could some of these seemingly rude comments actually not have been intended to come across the way that they did?" Is it possible that I might have been a little more sensitive on that particular day and took it the wrong way? Or could it be that that person had a DRY humor like Pete and thought he was being funny but the delivery was all wrong?
Don't get me wrong, I know there are a lot of sarcastic, rude people out there that live to make others look and feel stupid. And there are people that make rude comments and try to follow them up with, "What?? I was JUST KIDDING!!" That's really not cool. Because, that just says to me that they are probably just too much of a pansy to admit that they were really just being a jerk and were afraid of your response (flipping them off, stomping away, crying or whacking them in the shoulder!).
So, if you are the kind of person that likes to make DUH! comments to others, do a little introspection to find out what your intentions are; are you really trying to just make a joke? Are you trying to make that person look stupid (SHAME ON YOU!). Are you just a rude individual that thinks that you are better than every one else? Are you a sarcastic know it all that likes to stomp on nice people? Then think about what your delivery style is....are you being really condescending? Are you funny? Are you going to regret making that smarty pants comment?
On the other hand, if you are the person that is receiving the DUH!! comment, stop and think for a moment before you react; Are you feeling open to humor at that time? Are you being overly sensitive? Do you hate the person that is making the DUH! comment to you? I meant...do you have a deep dislike for that person? Are you able to laugh at yourself?
I have an older brother named Kevin. He is 4 years older than me. Growing up, life was really hard having a brother that was always 2 steps ahead of me and that thought torture was a perfect extra curricular sport. Any opportunity to make his little sister suffer or pay for being a dumb, little, bratty sister...all the better! But as I was thinking about all of this the other day, I realized that I might be more inclined to be a little more sensitive to DUH! comments now, because I was the BUTT of so many jokes and pranks growing up. So next time some jokester gets a good laugh at my expense, before I get ready to kick them in the shins, I am going to stop and ask myself (if I didn't think it was too funny), "Is this just my inner dumb, bratty little sister inside about to cry or is this PUNK just not funny!!!"

Flesh, blood....and vocal cords

I spoke to my Aunt Jo on the phone last night. She lives in Miami. She is my mom's oldest sister. Every time I talk to her I am struck with a few things about family...

I love the fact that when you look at family members you can see resemblances. For instance, I love that my oldest daughter has brown eyes like me and Pete. Lyndi looks a lot like Lila. And there is no mistaking that I am my mother's child. Our hands look very similar. But there is no denying that our legs look identical! We even have the very same knees and ankles! And no matter how fat our cores get, our legs will always be chicken legs! Saddle bags are just not in my future. I didn't get my mom's eyes though. She has very pale, ice blue eyes. I got my Dad's brown eyes.

Thinking of my Aunt Jo, I am amazed at how much her voice is starting to sound like my Granny's voice. And I am also amazed at how much her voice sounds very similar to my own mom's voice. I guess vocal cords run in the family. I know my voice sounds very similar to my mom's voice. However, I am referring to her normal speaking voice...not her voice over her cell phone. My mom has that same disorder that a lot of folks have that makes them think they have to speak a lot louder into their cell phone for you to actually hear them!

In the last few years, when I talk to my brother and my Dad, I am beginning to hear similarities in their voices. I have also noticed that my mom and I have similar hand writing. Certain letters look just a like.

Lila, she is the only lefty in our family. She however has a unique pencil holding style. Her gifted teacher pointed this out. She told me that she was trying to encourage Lila to hold her pencil differently. She said that its weird that Lila holds her pencil on her second to last finger. Really? Because I too hold my pen that way...nothing weird about it to me!! I'm just a righty...she is MY CHILD!! All the way down to how she holds her pencil! That makes me proud!

I can definitely say that we are all very unique individuals in our family. But those subtle and not so subtle similarities make being family so special. So if you think Auntie Grace has an obnoxious laugh or Uncle Harold has a weird shaped head...you may want to wait until you get a little age on you before you make these determinations. You never know when you hair falls out that your head may be shaped just like Harold's (since it was hidden under hair!). Or you never know that as your voice ages whether or not you may begin to sound just like Auntie Grace. How special though that you will always be able to carry just a little bit of some family member with you for the rest of your life....unless you have your mom's child birthing hips or Grandma Addison's shelf booty!!!

HOLY CROUP!!

So Ill share with you how my little Lyndi is doing the same way Lila shared with our neighbor India.....
My mom took Lyndi to the doctor just now. So India asks, " Lila why would your mom have to take Lyndi to the doctor today? (since its Sunday)" Lila replies,"Because Lyndi cant breathe." So after India had heart failure thinking that Lyndi had stopped breathing.....She gave me a call as I arrived at the Urgent care place in town. I had to explain that I thought that Lyndi had croup and she was having difficulty breathing. NO she hadnt STOPPED breathing!! She did sound like she was trying to suck air through a straw. And yes it did have me concerned.
So the good doctor took her in and checked all of her upper orifices out...no infections present. Yep she did have an inspiratory wheeze and her left lung sounded wheezy. An xray of her chest showed that she DID NOT have any signs of pneumonia. Thank you God! So the doctor confirmed that she did indeed have croup. Lyndi got a shot of steroids to her thigh and was sent home with an oral steroid and 4 stickers (the nurse felt awful guilty for sticking her!!!). Lyndi was sooooo good though. Bless her heart...she wasnt breathing well at all but she put up with the poking and probing. She even threw up the oral steroid they tried to give her in the office.
Lyndi was bouncing off the walls when I got her home. She sang and played. She drew on her magnadoodle board for nearly and hour. She harassed the cat and Lila for a while. It only took 3 tries to get her to bed. Other than that I say she seems a bit better. Tomorrow I pray that she keeps getting better. Today was scary. She just awoke from her nap this afternoon with a horrible wheeze and really shallow/rapid respirations. Im so glad that I am a nurse. Im glad that I know the sounds and symptoms. Im glad I have a breathing machine here and knew to put her in a steamy shower. Dont be fooled though....I was still nervous about her condition....NOT NEARLY SO NERVOUS AS POOR INDIA WHO THOUGHT SHE HAD QUIT BREATHING!
Despite all of the excitement, today was a good day. We went to church this morning. Pete and I had to keep the the 2-3 year olds in the nursery. It went surprisingly well. No one got hurt or cried on our watch! And I didn't leave feeling like I needed to take a couple of Valium and a shot of alcohol. Not that I use either...but I could start if I needed to!
Let me give you a quick run down of this month of November....
My sister in laws birthday is tomorrow I think...its the 3rd or 4th....Ill try to call if I can remember!
LET US NOT FORGET TO VOTE ON THE 4th! EVERY VOTE MATTERS!!!
The 8th is my stepson's birthday. He will be 20...where does time go??
The 14th Ill be having a cardiac ablation for the SVT that has been plaguing me.
Then we have Thanksgiving...which we will spend at Pete's 94 year old grandmothers house. Because as we all know, "This could be the last Thanksgiving for her...." Pete tells me that she has been saying this since she was 50. Now this year really could be the last.....but then again she may really outlive everyone...we will see. Either way....Turkey day will be at her house in the country...which I really love anyway!
Then I guess it will be time to put up the Christmas tree! That should be a blast this year considering that Lyndi is 2 and will want to pull all of the ornaments off (just like last year). ...And Jack the new kitten will probably want to practice his climbing skills. Or maybe he will be a cord chewer and short out the tree....lets hope not!
Please say a little prayer for Lyndi and her health. And please try to pray for me when I have my ablation on the 14th. I think all will go well. Im looking for a cure for this SVT. Please just pray for the doctors and my well being.

Fall back a little

Tonight our clocks roll back one hour. I think that's a really good thing seeing as I took a really late nap. Yea, I didn't get up until 5:30. I hope I can fall asleep tonight.
I wanted share some of the things that I really enjoy in life. The simple things. .....
I love the fall, cooler weather! I love that we got to go to the Hallelujah festival at our Church last night. It was so nice!
I love sitting down, sipping on a hot cup of tea. I used the honey that David, our neighbor grew at his house. He has named his honey "Abby's Apiary" after his daughter, Lila's friend.
I had some butternut squash soup tonight. Butternuts are a comfort food to me. I rather enjoyed having a bowl of warm soup. Lyndi did too! She ate two bowls worth of it and wanted more. She tipped her bowl up and tried to drink the last little bit out of the bowl. Butternut squash with a little butter and cinnamon is so good too! If you haven't ever tried it...you are missing out!
I love a nice fire at night. We purposely had our hearth built up so we can sit on it. At Pete's parents house, their hearth is like that. I'm glad we decided to go that route. Its so pleasant.
I love snuggling up with my girls in bed on the weekend. In the morning, Lila usually comes plowing into our bed. She is a huge snuggle bug. She will lay there with me for an hour if I wanted to stay there that long. And no, we don't have a TV in our room or any other distraction. She just has always come in to "snuggle up". I would like to think that as she gets older that maybe she might want to snuggle with ole mom...but I wont hold my breath. Ill enjoy it now while I still have time.