Geoergia

Before I update on Georgia, I again want to say I am NOT HAPPY with the changes blogger made. 
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Georgia had a heart valve replaced a week ago Wed. April 25.  It was not invasive, in otherwards yes they had to cut her and no they did not have to cut through the breast bone.  The doctor that did it teaches the new method and is a christian.  That made Georgia very happy.  We took her communion the day before the surgery, she called me at 7:30 requesting it.   A couple days before she called at 6:30, requesting a visit.
Her daughters kept us updated on her progress and we finally got permission to visit her 3 days ago.  They are guarding her closely and want people to call them to find out if it is ok to visit.  Georgia will move to a rehab in a few days, for around 10 days.  All in all, she is doing better and the doctors are getting other issues under control.  God is good.

New blogger

 Why change something that worked so well, to something more difficult to navigate!!!

Update

 Talked with Georgia's daughter this morning.  She will have one valve replaced, most likely Sunday.  They will know for sure later today.  Her spirit is at peace, but her physical body is afraid.  That's what I hear.

Georgia

One of the ministries we have at church is with shut-ins. The woman who leads this ministry is Georgia. She is 75, a widow with 2 daughters and (I believe) 7 grandchildren. She is a living testimony to the word of God. She loves the Lord with all she has and worries she isn't doing enough. She amazes me with how busy she is, and all those who know and love her. She has a small dog, Misty, who she walks everyday (weather permitting) 2-4 and sometimes 6 miles a day. She does a weekly Bible Study with women at her complex and loves it, along with her shut-ins. Georgia does not drive anymore, so I drive her on some of the visits. She is wonderful, loves to sing along with visiting, doing a devotional and communion with the shut-ins. I enjoy doing this with her, she is such a delight and Godly inspiration.
Right now she is at the hospital, preparing for some valve replacements in her heart. Her heart valves are beginning to shut down and she is not getting enough oxygen. I will find out tomorrow when the surgery is scheduled, the family was meeting with the surgeon today.. They are requesting no visitors at this time, it wears her out, she loves to visit. She needs to stay quiet to maintain oxygen levels. I will call her daughter tomorrow.
I am glad we got to visit with her some yesterday.
If you read this, Georgia could use some prayers.

Surgery

We got up at 4 yesterday morning. I had preset the coffeepot so that was ready upon awakening. After getting dressed and ready to leave, I put the prepared food in a small ice chest, coffee in a couple travel mugs. Made sure the kitties had food and water. We then headed out the door and up to San Mateo. Traffic wasn't as bad as we had been expecting. We did hit the morning work traffic in the Bay Area, but it was traveling smoothly, no hang ups. Of course, with 2 of us, we were able to use the diamond lane. We got to the hospital around 8 or so, around 3 1/2 hours travel time. Kellie's sister and her husband, her niece and a good friend were there. We waited and talked while Kellie finished the paperwork. We went upstairs with her, then down again, when they were done upstairs. We had a chance to pray with and over here. Went into the waiting room and there were 2 of her daughters friends there, then the daughter came in, all together 10 people were there for her. She was able to visit with her mom before she went into surgery. The surgery was a little longer then she was told at first, around 2 1/2 hours. When the doctor came in she told us there were no surprises. Tissue samples were sent to a lab and results will be around Wed. We ate some lunch and waited for a little time then we were able to visit with her. We left around 4:30 as she was being wheeled into a private room. If all is well, she is going home today. I will call in a day or so, giving her a chance to get home and settle in. Her sister will stay with her, but they know I am only a phone call away if they need me to come and help. One of the nice things about being retired is I have the time to do that!!

What is new.

So much going on, I don't know where to begin.

A week and half ago, Elizabeth came to visit for a few days. That was really nice, we enjoyed a nice visit and were very glad to see her. She came down with her sister-in-law. She and Ryan are still looking for a place to rent, keep them in your prayers.

This Friday, Dan and I are going up to San Mateo, as my sister-in-law Kellie, is going in for cancer surgery. We want to be there for her. She also needs prayer.

Keith and Liz's wedding plans are moving on. She has her dress and it is beautiful. They worked on the guest list this past weekend.

My niece is getting married the end of June, and I am starting her quilt this week. I am anxious to get that going, along with making some summer pj's for my granddaughter and pj's for my grandson. So glad I go another sewing machine. Now I can keep one for quilting and one for regular sewing.

In June, my niece, Mariah, is moving from Ohio to live with us. She will be going to college out here, and working. It will be a change for her, coming from a small town.

Today we will be attending a life celebration for a dear woman who passed away from cancer last week. We pray for her husband, Gordon. Though he is happy as to where she is now, he will still grieve her after many decades of marriage. She was a faithful Christian.

Now I think it is time for me to go get a map of San Mateo, so I can find my way to the hospital. We will leave around 5 in the morning, her surgery is at 10 AM. We need to allow for work traffic, which can be a real pain in the Bay Area.
Have a great day and God Bless

Behind

We had quite a rain storm over the weekend. Not bad considering we have been over 80% behind on our rainfall. We are now 50% behind. However, some of the snow pack was over 5 feet, so that is good. It means we may be able to take the boat out this summer .
We had a hail storm yesterday, with (for us) nice sized hail stones. I have been enjoying the blooms in my garden, not realizing that they would soon be destroyed. My irises were beautiful. The hail took it's tole. The ones in the photo had just opened up the day before. They were not totally destroyed yesterday, but look like they are on their last leg. I so enjoy the beauty of the flowers when they open. Hopefully the blooms getting ready to open are just delayed. Today is partly cloudy so hoping the suns warmth will rejuvenate the blooms.

Quilting

I have been a sewer most of my life, making my first outfit in 3rd grade. My mom was a Fashion Major in college with she first started, wanting to be a fashion designer. She got ill with rheumatic fever and had to quit school, she never went back. I grew up with her sewing, all the time. When we lived near my grandparents (after my dad got out of the Air Force) my mom and her mom would spend days sewing various outfits for them, for my sister and myself. She taught my brothers basic mending~ such as repairing rips and sewing on buttons. When I was in junior high (now called middle school or intermediate school) and high school there was a class called "Home Economics" , which was required. The schools now, here anyway, don't even offer the course. It wasn't a choice it was a class we had to take. In Jr. hi. we spent half a school year (girls only) learning to cook and half a year learning the basics of sewing. I took Home Ec in my freshman year of high school so I could get it out of the way. When it was over my mom told me to forget everything I learned in school and she would teach me to sew, and she did. However, it started long before I ever took a class. There isn't much I cannot sew, there is more I choose not sew. I do not have an industrial machine, so I care not to sew heavy denims or canvas and the such. I enjoy making dresses and play cloths for my granddaughter, and she enjoys receiving them.

After my first child was born, I took up crocheting, which I learned to do at the age of 6. Let me rephrase that, I learned to crochet at age 6, I perfected it as an adult, so when I did crochet I actually made something!!!! My great-grandmother quilted a little and it was always a goal of mine. So after all my kids grew up (2 of them married) I finally took up a quilting class ~~with the help of a friend. Currently I am working on 2 and will start another next week. I have made 2 and completed them. One my grandson uses when he visits, I took a class for that one. The other I made entirely on my own (meaning no classes or colleagues help). I had the help of my husband (picking out some material) and my youngest son who along with his dad laid out the pattern of the cars.

It was a Christmas gift for my oldest son. He is currently restoring a 1959 El Camino, of which is depicted in the quilt. It was a fun project, once I figured out the pattern I wanted to use. I even did the quilting of it, which is time consuming.

This is the kind of help I got when I was sewing.

I am taking a "Hand Quilting" class in a week and a half. I then want Eric to bring his quilt back to me so I can hand quilt around the cars, which will high-light them.

Legacy

Time just keeps moving one. One of our seniors at church passed away earlier this month, no horrible illness or anything, just at 89 years of age his body was done. He had been ailing for months before God called him home. It was a very touching memorial on Sat. He left quit a legacy, an honor to God for his work as a Pastor, Elder and Decon: Husband, Father ~ a piller of faith and many, many good and lasting memories to those who knew him.

Elizabeth & Ryan left yesterday. They are going to his sisters, where they will look for a place to live in the Bay Area. He starts school on the 30th at the Art Academy. They have been here since right after Thanksgiving and life has been a little different . As anxious as we are for them to have their own lives together, it still is a little hard seeing them go. We both feel a little empty. On the bright side, they need to move on with their lives and what is happening for them. AND, at least they are not in S.Korea and are just a few hours away, that is liveable.

Monterey

Went to Monterey to the aquarium on Wed. Elizabeth and Ryan went with us. It has been 3 1/2 years since our last visit there and it is nice to see some of the changes. The above photo shows an area designed for children. There are lots of crawly spaces and hands on for the little ones. Places for parents to sit while their little ones can play and let go of some energy. Sure would have been nice when ours were little.


Sea turtles, sharks, and so much more. Just a fun day.
This dragon sea horse is a beauty, but it was hard to get a decent picture as it kept moving. Being persistent, I finally was able to get a nice picture. The marvel of digital photography, take a dozen or more photos so you have a chance at getting a decent one.
You can see the day was beautiful.
Looking at penguins. I didn't post it, but there was an exhibit for Puffins, which was nice. The only other aquarium I have seen Puffins is in Newport, OR.

December 2011

Ryan got his early leave from the Army, so he and Elizabeth were able to join us at her sisters for Thanksgiving, in Colorado. We had a wonderful time visiting our daughter and her husband and of course the grand kids. Sadly after a week we needed to head home. We took Elizabeth and Ryan's dogs home with us ~ while they spent a couple days hiking the gorge at the Grand Canyon. The dogs rode well in the car, which was nice as we drove it in 2 days.

The picture above shows Elizabeth on the computer and I just love the way Winston was relaxing!

Keith turned 27 this year, doesn't seem like it. He came up and had some friends over for his birthday. We had a dinner at the church so we were not there, but when we got home there were still some of his friends over. They had fun.

I love this little candy mouse that a friend made for us. It gives me ideas for next year.

Guinness is a well behaved dog in the house. He is loving, gentle, kind, a good dog. However, we have cats (indoor cats) and that is one thing he doesn't like. I am not worried about the cats but I do worry about the destruction that could happen when he is chasing them. I really wish he liked them because he really is a very well behaved dog in the house. He spends time outside but when we bring him in we put him in the hallway.

Winston decided he was ready for Christmas.

He looked real cute sitting under the Christmas tree.

Keith came up on the 23rd, and he and his fiance went to her moms for Christmas Eve then came back on Christmas morning. Her family likes to open presents right after midnight, on Christmas morning.

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve service at church. I was amazed and happy at the amount of people in attendance. Sunday morning was wonderful also, so many people came to church to celebrate the birth of our Lord!!!!

We opened Christmas gifts with Elizabeth and Ryan (before church), later they went to his parents. We joined them that afternoon~ after Keith and Liz got home, for Christmas dinner. While it may seem strange for some that we shared Christmas dinner with our daughters in-laws, we used to do that with both sets of my grandparents, occasionally, at Christmas time, when I was growing up. It was a very enjoyable time.

We took dessert over. I had always wanted to make a Yule Log, so when Ryan mentioned dessert and something chocolate I decided to try my hand at making Yule Log. It actually was much easier and simpler then I thought it would be. The decorations I made using Marzipan and a mold. It was enjoyed. We also took over pumpkin pie and some cookies Dan made.

It was a Blessed day!