Sunday Meanderings

FOOD FOR THOUGHT - A DEVOTIONAL

SEARCHING FOR HOPE

In the world you will have tribulation;
but be of good cheer,
I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

"Once when I referred to the future that God is planning, a university student asked me, 'Isn't this a form of escapism?' I said, 'In a sense, yes; and before the devil gets through with this world, we are all going to be looking for exit signs!'

As Christians we look beyond this world to God's promise of 'new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells' (2 Peter, 3:13). But in the meantime, the world remains mired in the same heartaches and injustices it has suffered since the Fall--and Jesus said we shouldn't be surprised: 'In the world you will have tribulation.'

Some people mistakenly think if they become Christians, God will take away all their problems. It just isn't so. Sin still dwells within us, and Satan is still at work.

But that isn't the full story. Jesus added, 'But be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.' Notice: He not only will overcome the world--He already has!"

The Reverend Billy Graham in Hope for Each Day - Words of Wisdom and Faith


MY LITTLE WEEK IN REVIEW

Ready? For a shock? There was not a single moment, not one, of drama in my week. Can you believe it? I had a totally blissful and relaxing week. You're probably thinking, "Well then, what on earth is she going to talk about?" LOL

Oh my word, it was just the kind of week I needed.

Mandy's wedding is in 27 days. And I'm relaxed. I know. It's bizarre. Rob checked. I do still have a pulse. :-)

Backing up for a moment to the drama I've been posting about for two weeks, I can now prick and stick and inject babies with the best of them. I can read Freestyle Flash meters, calculate insulin dosages and I even know the difference between Lantus and Humalog insulins.

My house is now full of sugar-free Creamsickles, Jello, vanilla oatmeal cookies and good old regular Spaghettios...and a package of those ridiculously expensive Disney (Mickey Mouse) fun cheese shapes. I also have a bottle of V-8 Splash berry-blend juice in the fridge for LOW blood sugar emergencies (only had one of those this week). Am I good, or what? I am so over being stressed and upset about Cameron being diabetic. He's once again, thank you Jesus, just my little Cameron. He and I are getting on with it.

We decided juvenile diabetes has nothing whatsoever to do with digging in the edges of the grass to find rolly polies to play with and it really has nothing to do with having fun in the new baby pool in Nana's backyard or his favorite yard toy, the water hose.

I was so devastated, so worried and finally just so sad when he was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with this disease. He is, after all, my baby. He's so little. Not even two yet. I know for sure the reason I'm able to feel OK with it only two short weeks later is because all of you prayed for him and for me and for our family. I don't know how to tell you how much I thank you. It worked. Y'all are good....very, very good.

I post a lot of photos on this blog. Did you notice that? Heaven help me if my digital ever bites the dust. LOL So I think I'd like to add a new thing to my Sunday Meanderings - my "photo of the week." This is my favorite photo this week. Just for the record, I didn't have a swimsuit on hand for him when I took this photo Friday but after a Saturday trip to Walmart, I do now. Look at his little tongue sticking out, he's working so hard. LOL



You know, when you're a SAHPWHWIY (stay-at-home-person-who-hasn't-worked-in-years), you tend to lose track of days. About 10 o'clock Friday night it occurred to me this is a holiday weekend and everyone is off on Monday. And we're supposed to be barbecuing a lot this weekend. Honestly, this IS Sunday, right? :-)

And so....Rob has three days off and a paid holiday. Again, thank you Jesus for providing a real job for my husband. For those of you who've asked, he loves his new job and we're just weeks away from some benefits! Health insurance! Not having health insurance is beyond scary and let me tell you, you don't take any stupid risks like standing on the kitchen counter to set the time on your bird clock. Yes, I have a bird clock. Are you surprised?

Here's an interesting number. Cameron was in the hospital for 48 hours. Krissy got the first statement for "services." $5,200. Thankfully, they have insurance, but is that not unbelievable?

We did some running around Saturday morning. Actually we got out of here early and were back home by noon! We went to Twice Upon a Time -- our favorite used book store. My niece Sarah made it pretty clear that these are the best two books she's read in forever. And I found them both at Twice Upon!


I paid $2.00 for this one.

And I paid $3.25 for this one.(This book sold at $16 and my copy is in "new" condition.)

Actually, I bought three books and Rob bought six and our bill was $20.04. Pretty wonderful I think.

While we were out, Rob got me my late Mother's Day gift -- the rest of the flowers I needed to finish planting the white picket fence planters. I planted the six on the front porch several weeks ago but the four in the backyard were looking very forlorn. And empty.

I shopped for a lot of outdoor cooking this coming week. I'm planning brats tonight, pork spareribs on Memorial Day and lots of hamburgers and hotdogs the coming week. Honestly, it's summertime and it may be a while before I want to cook indoors again. Like, say, three months! LOL

I'm making my famous Oriental spinach salad tomorrow, to go along with the spareribs (truly a great combination.) You definitely want to know about this salad - my digital is recharging as I type. :-) OK, it's only going to be famous if you like it, but honestly, if you don't, there's just something wrong with you.

I love weeks like this - quiet, uneventful and kind of lazy. I sat on the patio and read a lot. It won't be long until we can't sit out there without our tacky blue canopy in place. You probably don't realize how hot it gets in Western Colorado - this is desert country and it gets so hot you can't breathe. It gets so hot we can't let Chelsea walk on concrete or the pads of her little feet will get burned. So I'm enjoying our beautiful and still tolerable weather. And I have Waterbabies factor 50 sunscreen on hand for Cameron. He discovered that water hose - there will no longer be any keeping him indoors.


THE COMING WEEK

Mandy is in the process of moving back to Grand Junction this weekend. She's wiped out. This was the last week of school, which is always a little crazy, but instead of just locking her classroom and walking away until school resumes in August, she had to completely pack it up and move it all out. She won't be returning there - she and Aaron are moving to the front range as soon as they return from their honeymoon in Maui. And of course in the midst of all that, she's also had to pack up her little house and be ready to move out this weekend. I imagine she'll be sleeping in for a few days once all this is accomplished.

She and I will be going to David's Bridal next week to pick up her altered wedding gown. This afternoon I'm going there with Krissy to have her matron of honor dress measured for alterations and I can't wait to see how many dress sizes they have to take it down to - she's now lost 28 pounds with Weight Watchers, a huge difference in a petite little gal who is only 5'2" tall. I'm thinking that dress is going to be about half its former self and I'm beyond proud of her. You should see her - it's like she was hiding inside herself and the real Krissy has reappeared.

Tuesday evening we're all going to the wedding site. I haven't seen it yet but I'll be taking photos to share. It's outdoors, kind of out in the woods, an old, old schoolhouse converted into an events center. I'm pretty excited about finally seeing this place. We're going to meet with the owners about the layout and decorations. Exciting (but not stressful) stuff.

Mandy and I will also be dragging out the boxes of "stuff" I saved from Krissy's wedding, including $360 worth of hurricanes, to come up with centerpieces. This is fun times.

And this coming up week I will again only have Cameron here on Friday. I have to tell you, I love it. Having him one day a week means he and I can look forward to having a really fun day together because he wasn't here all the rest of the week to wear his Nana to a frazzle. If you're a Nana, I know you understand. It's nice to actually "miss" them sometimes.



A LITTLE BLOGGY NEWS

Not a lot of bloggy news this week. I think for the most part we all follow the same bloggers so you all probably know more about the "news" out here than I do right now.

So I'm going to use this spot this week to thank Bunny Trails. You know, I post a lot of cooking and craft tutorials. And every now and then someone emails me, weeks later, to tell me she tried something I posted and loved it.

Bunny Trails made my burp cloths. And she did a much better job with them than I did. I told her, "You did me proud," and I meant it. You should see the sweet, sweet fairy burp cloths she made. She's much more creative and hers are lovely.


ONE LAST THOUGHT

"There are people who put their dreams in a little box and say,
'Yes, I've got dreams, of course I've got dreams.'
Then they put the box away and bring it out once in a while to look at it,
and yep, they're still there."

my hero, Erma Bombeck


With Mandy's school year offically over and her moving back here, and the wedding only *gasp* three and a half weeks away, I imagine things will start hopping around here. But I feel ready for it. Funny how one serious life-changing emergency with a baby can totally change your perspective. My perspective is in a good place now.

Wishing you all a fun, family-centered holiday weekend and a blessed new week.