A Week Later

A week ago I was asking for prayers due to my daughter's brain surgery to remove a golf ball sized tumor.  The surgery went well and they got all of the tumor.  Her recovery is coming along but it will take some time.  My daughter wants it to be over and be back to normal.  We keep having to remind her that she had brain surgery and it is kind of a big deal.  Patience is not one of her virtues but she is hanging in there.  She had a terrible recovery experience in the hospital and I think a lot of that has to be dealing with COVID protocol.  I believe she will have a full recovery in due time.  Please continue to pray for her, my son-in-law and my granddaughter who is a bit young to truly understand about mommy's surgery.  Every day my daughter continues to get better and better!

Every Day Gets Better

Jenny is getting so much better.  She was moved from ICU to a regular room yesterday and that means it is one step more to coming home.  With the Covid cases continuing to grow in our area the hospitals are under a no visitor policy.  That means Jenny is completely on her own.  Now for Jenny that is really hard as it is for us not to be able to with her.  My heart breaks every time she begins to cry.  Normally, I would be there to comfort her but all I can do now is do it over the phone.  We do not want Jenny to get out too early but I also know that a lot of Jenny's recovery is being around the people who love her.  So, with that said, keep getting better Jen so we can come and take you home!

Rosey Is Gone!

Jenny's surgery went well and the doctor was pleased. Rosey has been evicted and is gone! We don't really know all the details yet but we do believe they got all of the tumor.  Looking at it the doctor did not think it was cancerous but a final on that cannot be determined until the pathology report comes back; that will take a couple of days.
Due to COVID cases getting worse the hospitals have shut down again to no visitors so Jenny will be on her own during her hospital stay.  Hopefully it will only be a couple more days.  We did get to talk to her last night and that was great.  My poor baby's head is hurting really bad but she has been nausea and everything they have tried to give her to ease the pain has not worked.  I am hoping they gave her something that would relax her enough to fall asleep.  We will call this morning to get an update and hopefully get a chance to talk and maybe even Facetime with her later on today. Thank you again for all your thoughts and prayers.  The power of prayer works and please continue to pray for a speedy and less painful recovery.  Way to go Jen and good bye Rosey!

Today Rosey Gets Evicted!

My daughter, Jenny, is having brain surgery today to have a golf ball size brain tumor removed.  We have only known about this tumor for a month and we are ready to get rid of it.  We named it Rosey to make it less scary for my granddaughter Rory.  It has been a couple of emotional days because of what is happening today.  As a mom it is driving me crazy  not to be at the hospital but with covid only one person can be with my daughter and that, of course, is her husband Nate.  I will stay at home with Rory and try to make this day as normal as possible and hide my own emotions.  We are praying that all will go well and that the tumor is not cancerous.  Please say a prayer for Jenny, her doctors, nurses and hospital staff.  Also please say a prayer for Nate & Rory to be strong, brave and positive.
I known Jenny will get through all this.  Love you baby girl...mom is there is spirit and don't worry about Rory...I got her!  Praying for good results all around.

100 Popsicle Sticks

I gave Rory 100 popsicle sticks to do whatever she wanted to do.  After she had fun throwing them in the air, counting them, stacking them, etc. she decided she wanted to do a craft with them.  We looked at Pinterest and found some ideas.  We built a bird feeder and a storage box. We had to paint all the sticks which took a little time but once they were dry the building began.  The bird feeder turned out really well.  We then built a box for Rory to put little items in it.  We both had fun playing and creating with the sticks. Last night we hung the bird feeder.  This morning a lot of the seeds were gone.  Rory was so excited.

Happy 10th Anniversary Nate & Jen

Today is the my daughter and son-in-law's 10th Wedding Anniversary.  They eloped 10 years ago without any of us knowing until Jenny got home from visiting Nate in Alamogordo, NM.  Nate was in the Air Force and stationed at Holloman Air Force Base.  He had come home on leave when he and Jen got reacquainted and the rest is history.  She went to visit him for a week and came back married.  A month later she moved out there.  Now, only the immediate family knew of the elopement.  We had a fake wedding 8 months later.  They celebrate July 19th now not March 25th. They have lived in three states in their 10 years and have one beautiful daughter, Rory. 
Happy Anniversary Nate & Jenny with many more to come! Love you both so much!

Fun With Rory

Rory and I always have fun together and enjoy each other's company. We will be together this whole weekend and we are on our own.  While Mom and Dad are away for a weekend anniversary trip we are busy holding down the fort, taking care of the dogs and doing what we want.  Some is easy like watching YouTube, she watches some weird kids stuff, and growing crystals. Some is a bit messy like creating snow with 400 cotton balls.  Since we have dogs the "snow" was thrown out afterwards.  Rory had so much fun making snow angels, gathering a bunch of snow balls and throwing them up in the air.  The dogs did not know what to make of the "snowballs" but Rory had a ball.  When she was done, since she made the mess, she swept them all up and disposed of them.  We do have cotton ball remains on the sofa but we will vacuum those up today.  Today's fun? 100 popsicle sticks.  Check back and see what we do!

Six Days To Go

A week from now my daughter's brain tumor surgery will be complete and we will have some answers that we are eagerly awaiting.  Until the tumor is removed we do not know if it is cancerous, if her vision or speech will be impaired or if her entire personality will be changed.   We have a lot of questions but we are also planning for the best and the worst.  With Covid affecting who can be at the hospital with her (one person only and cannot be swapped) it will be hard as a mom not to be there.  However, as a grandmother my job will be taking care of my 6 year old granddaughter who is very scared about her mommy and Rosey.  We named the tumor to make it less scary for her.  If I could ask a favor, if you are a praying person, will you please say a prayer for my little girl, son in law and granddaughter especially on July 23rd.  We are all going into this surgery with great confidence that the surgeon will be able to get the tumor out and my daughter will be fine again.  Prayers work!

An Emotional Day!

Moving went really well yesterday and we were done by noon.  Carrie and Rory were a big help and the new storage unit is really nice.  It is a brand new unit and it is temperature controlled.  So now my stuff that I cannot seem to let go has a nicer place to sit. 
Today has been a roller coaster of emotions for me.  I am not really feeling sorry for myself but as I sit and think about my life these past couple of years I have decided that July is just not going to be a wonderful month for me.  I already disliked July 5th because of my dad.  Two years ago in July I had to share a very tough reality with one of the closest persons I knew then just to add to it I got a kidney stone.  I am still trying to figure out which really is worse; giving birth or passing a kidney stone.  Last year was the death of my husband.  We had been married for 36 years. He died on July 8th so now I can add that to another date I dislike.  This year it is the upcoming brain surgery my daughter will be having.  We are staying positive about it but I am still scared to death.  The tumor is the size of a golf ball and we will not know if it is cancerous until it has been removed.  July 23rd is the day.  Please say a little prayer for my daughter and the doctors and staff who will be performing the surgery.  Prayer works. 
I never would of thought I would be where I am today and even though it was my decision I never would of thought it.  I am sorry this blog may seem a bit pitiful and maybe a bit lonely but it does help me survive by letting go of some of my thoughts through this blog.  Emotions, man they can really be all over the place.  Oh well, on with life!

Storage Moving Day!

Today, with the help of my daughter Carrie, I will be moving from my current storage unit to my new shared storage unit that will be closer to home.  Jenny & Nate decided to get a storage unit and asked if I wanted to go in with them and move my stuff into theirs.  I will be paying the same amount as I am now but the unit will be closer to home and easier to go to so now I can move some stuff I am holding onto at home to the unit.  This will give me more space in my closet which will allow me more space under my bed.  It will be a win win situation.  We are starting early because Carrie has plans this afternoon.  Wish me luck in getting this all done by lunch!  Here we go!

A Productive Week End!

Last weekend, 4th of July weekend, I spent the majority of it working on door prizes for my sister's upcoming stamping event.  My sister and I are both demonstrators for Stampin Up.  My sister has been one for years and I have been one for months.  My sister holds stamping events at her house every other month.  For a small fee you can attend one of her events and you walk away with 10 homemade cards (you make them), door prizes, special gifts, great food and a lot of fun with fellow stampers.  Pam, my sister, is very generous and strives to make sure everyone is enjoying themselves. The past few years I have making her door prizes and even though it seems like I wait until the last moment to get them done I don't.  It just seems like when I am ready to work on them something comes up.  Well, I have to say I do not regret at all about using my four day week end creating the cards.  It was a great way to stay home and stay busy.  Also to binge watch my new favorite show, although it is old, "McLeod's Daughers."  This week end I will be spending the days moving from my current storage unit to a new one.  It is bigger and closer to home.  Check out the pictures of the door prizes I created and have a good Friday!

The 5th Of July...Not My Favorite Day

Since I was 7 years old I have never enjoyed the 5th of July.  That was the day my dad, Warren Colley, passed away in 1967.   He was only 45 years old but his heart just gave way.  He had Rheumatic fever as a child that ruined his heart.  We were use to daddy having to go to the hospital every once in a while but this time we had no idea that it would be the last time.  57 years ago so basically I have disliked the last 57 July 5th's and today is no different.  I can still remember my mom sitting my one brother and sister down in her bedroom.  She had just gotten the call from the Doctor.  My oldest brother was away at camp.  When she told us that our dad had died I know a huge part of us all died too.  We all truly loved our dad.  Even though I was only seven when he died I still have vivid memories of my dad and I.  He made sure he spent individual time with each of his kids and that time spent together could be something big or it could be as simple as eating cut up raw carrot chunks and watching "Bewitched" together.  He was just a great guy! 
Dad, you will forever be in my heart and even though I no longer think about you daily I still think about you often and every 5th of July my heart and soul is sad remembering it was the day you were taken away.  A couple of years ago the date came up when talking with my sister and brothers and they felt the same way I do about the date.  Love and miss you Daddy!

Happy 4th Of July

Happy 4th of July!  This will be a different one since the country is in such turmoil.  I received a message from a friend yesterday with an article attached that the NFL will be playing the Black National Anthem at the first week's games.  There is a black National Anthem?  We only have one National Anthem that I know of and it was written by Francis Scott Key.  It is the "Star Spangled Banner".  Do you know of another National Anthem?  I know there are people out there that want everything changed and some of the demands are just stupid.  I do not want this to become racist but I am a bit confused why a small portion of the population is trying to change things for just THEIR benefit.  This is not going to make for a better America.  In America, right now, majority rules, we are under one nation under God,  we have freedom, we have a choice, we get to help determine what our country is doing.  Why on earth would you want to change it to meet a few demands when right now WE can do what WE want.  Think about it, right now you have a choice to do what you want.  Yes, there are laws to follow, yes we have procedures in place if you break the law and yes, we do have people that uphold the law because it is a responsibility by all to do so.  If you choose to break the law then you are also choosing to take the consequences that come with it.  The thing is WE ALL have that choice.  It is OUR freedom that WE have for living in the United States of America. 
So, on this day where we celebrate OUR freedom, I am asking each and every one to take a moment and realize how lucky WE ALL are to be able to celebrate today.  Thank you to our Military forces, past and present, who serve to protect OUR freedom. Thank you to ALL the police officers who risk their lives for us everyday.  Thank you to all the first responders that do the same.  Have a Happy 4th of July and please take a moment and realize how lucky WE ALL are to live in this great country.

Four Day Week End

After last week's unplanned four day week end, at least the 4th day was, I have another four day week end.  It was a surprise but we were all treated to an extra day off for the 4th of July.  With all the stuff that is going around it is nice to have the extra day.  I will be using it to get some work done for my sister's SAS and will be making door prizes for her.  I have a lot to do by next week end and I am hoping I can get it all done this week end.
Tomorrow will be a beach day for the family, if it doesn't rain, and that will allow me to work uninterrupted.  Although, I do have one major distraction.  I am watching "McCleod's Daughters" on Amazon Prime and it is so good.  It is a TV series from Australia and I have been binge watching it for a couple of weeks now.  There are 8 seasons and I am on the third season. 
Saturday, 4th of July, we will be celebrating it low key with a backyard BBQ and our own Fireworks show.  Our Gov. made fireworks legal now.  They were legal but were only suppose to be used for scaring birds away.  Now they are legal for us to use for our enjoyment.
Time to get to work so have a good day and check back tomorrow to see my progress with the Door prizes.  I hope I get some accomplished!