Where We've Been

I'm sure some of you have wondered where I"ve been lately. Well, life has a way of getting away from you if you aren't careful and that's what happened to me!

This past week, I worked really hard at work trying to tie up some loose ends before I take off for a couple weeks. Tomorrow, JG and I leave for the beach. We are truly looking forward to it because as you known, we’ve all had an interesting year. We have very little in the way of official plans for when we arrive. I’ve rented a convertible and we are staying on the beach, so most of our days will be spent at the beach or pool or both. I have several things that I want to do while we are there, but nothing concrete.

I experienced a first this past Friday. I went to a gold party. You know those ads you see on TV and hear on the radio about selling your unused gold? Well, this is not like a Pampered Chef or Premier Jewelry party…there’s no selling going on…just buying. I took a gallon bag about ½ full of old rings and things that I knew I’d never wear anymore. For those of you that knew me before I got engaged to Steve, I used to wear a ring on every finger (and I do mean EVERY finger) and some I had more than one on. Of course when I got that diamond engagement ring, I retired all the others. Now, I wear my wedding set and one other ring. So I took all those rings and bracelets that I would never wear and walked away with $373 in CASH! So, if you are interested in a party like this let me know. I think Rachel may be having one in the next few months and I will give her your name for her invite list.

As far as Steve and Katie are concerned, they are still doing well. Steve has had one seizure since she’s been with him. And she had already alerted him but he just wasn’t moving fast enough to catch it. He has a tendency to not realize that he’s delaying getting sugar in him when he’s getting low. He’ll fix a Coke and then instead of sitting down to drink it, he’ll look for a cookie or cake or glucose tablet and if he’s not careful, he forgets to drink and then he has a seizure. Anyway, yesterday, Katie followed him all the way up the stairs nudging his hand all the way and then literally jumped up on her back two feet (as if hugging him) and he just thought she wanted to play. Turns out, his blood glucose level was about 39 (with 120 being normal). Needless to say, he took care of himself before he had a seizure. We are constantly amazed at how Katie’s alerting is progressing. We were warned that it might take several months for her to “get it” on a regular basis, but she really is getting it already. She’s not at 100% by any means, but she’s getting closer. Steve continues to go places with her. Steve and I finally had a heart to heart talk about the changes this is going to create. After that talk, I think we finally feel united again. For a while, we were so caught up in the excitement of being together again, we kind of acted like nothing had changed. It didn’t take long for that to come to a head and so now we seem to be on the right track. Not just the right track but the SAME track!

Our letters from Chase are dwindling as he gets closer to graduation. Starting on Thursday, Chase will be doing the Crucible…this is the culmination of all the training and testing he’s gone through. In a nutshell, it’s 54 hours of food and sleep deprivation and about 45 miles of marching. It’s going to be the hardest thing these guys have been through. I have signed up on a message board, to pray for not just Chase, but his entire Company as they embark on this journey this week. Can I ask you to pray too? It’s from about 2am on Thursday until 8am on Saturday. Anytime you can pray, I would encourage you to do so. They won’t be sleeping in the barracks, but outside (when they get to sleep), so you don’t have to mail letters or cards, but I told Chase in my last letter to him that I would be asking my blog readers to pray. Thank you in advance for doing this. I know without a doubt he will feel those prayers. If you want to know more about the Crucible (and even watch a real life video, click on the link above...

I guess that’s about all going on with me. We found out this week who Jenna’s teacher for 2^nd grade is and she’s excited. I got a call today asking me to be a room mom. I’m pretty excited about that since it’s been a couple years since I helped out the last time. JG is excited about school although she’s super-sad she’s not in class with her best friend, Annabelle. I am sad too, but I think this will be a good opportunity for the girls to branch out on their own and make some new friends since she and Annabelle have been in class together since Pre-K. Plus, it will encourage them to learn to maintain friendships of those they aren’t in class with every day. I am going to help make sure the girls stay in touch.

My blog will be dark for a while because I’m not taking my PC with me to the beach. I will have plenty to blog about, and plenty of pictures to share when I return.

See y’all in a week!

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Week 1 with Katie

Sorry it's taken me all week to post, but having Katie is a little like having a new baby in the house. You just gotta get a routine and that's something we are still working on!

For those of you who know about Steve's work troubles, I'm sure you are interested to hear how the first day back to work went...and I'm happy to report it was pretty uneventful. Of course, everywhere we go people want to talk about Katie and ask questions. I guess that will ease up with the more people we see, but strangers stop and ask questions too. Most of the folks at his work are supportive and amazed that a dog can do such things, but I think some are still adjusting as well.

Steve did come up to my work earlier this week and of course, it was the same way...everyone gathered round asking questions and feeling all sad that they can't pet her! :) It was neat because so many of my co-workers were WAY more supportive than Steve's and so seeing Katie was wonderful for them because they had waited with us and literally walked this road every step we took. I'm telling you, I work at the best company in the world and my department by far outshine ANYWHERE I've worked before. 11 years...that oughta tell you something!

What Steve and I did find out relatively quickly was that our bed is just TOO small for 3. And having Katie in the bed is like having another adult there with us. And yes, she does HAVE to sleep with us. It's part of the bonding process between she and Steve and also, it is harder for her to alert if she's on the floor. So on Tuesday night, we went out and bought a king sized bed and mattress. I had to put my practically new (4 years old) queen bed and mattress set on Craigslist. I used to love Craigslist because you could sell just about anything there, but lately, I've had ZERO luck. I had one hit on my couch (which AmVets is picking up on Monday) and one hit on Fred (who never returned my call or email) and ZERO hits (except for unsolicited JUNK mail) on the bed. I don't know if it's the recession or what, but it's very frustrating. Here's the bed...if you know anyone that is interested...

If you think you are interested or know someone who might be, just click here and it should take you straight to the posting.

We still haven't found a home for Fred. We have a temporary situation for him but we are about to start looking at Happy Tales to see if they can help. I did NOT want to go that route, but I really don't feel that I have another option. The temporary situation is not ideal for us or Fred.

On an exciting note, one of the reporters for the local paper called and asked if she could interview us to do a follow up on the story she wrote from last year right before our fundraiser breakfast. Wednesday night, she came over and we talked for a while. Her name is Ashley Bone and she is SUPER sweet. If I hadn't been such a chicken to ask, I would have taken a picture with her. Anyway, for you locals (and I mean, locals to the Hill), check out the Advertiser News next Wednesday. The article should be published then. And for those of you who are not local, I will post the link here.

I guess that's about it. We plan to stay relatively close to home this weekend. I'd like to do some closet purging before school starts. I have one more week of work and then Jenna and I are beach-bound! We can't wait! We do have a birthday party for a special little girl on Saturday so I'm sure there will be pictures from that...eventually!

TGIF!!!

We're baaackkkk....

Our new family of 4 returned home just a few hours ago. We left yesterday afternoon after a late dinner/early lunch and drove the 2 hours to St. Louis to drop off the rental car (which was a PT Cruiser!) and then drove a ways out of the city in order to find a hotel. A special shout out to my good bud Rachel who assisted us in finding accomodations. Who would have known there was a "NASCAR event" this weekend in Illinois that made it virtually impossible to find a room?! We ended up staying in one of just a few smoking rooms left at a Hampton Inn in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. Let me just say, if you ever need a place to stay, I highly recommend the Hampton Inns. The room did not in the least smell like smoke and it was N-I-C-E! The regular price was about $100 but the lady who took our reservation (after Rachel looked up hotels and their phone numbers on her internet!) said she would apply a "coupon" code to make the price $82. I paid less than $100 for the room and it was a very good experience. One I plan to let the owners of Hampton know about.

Anyway, I digress. Traveling with a service animal (or any pet I suspect) is like traveling with a child...you have to stop periodically to let them potty and get out to stretch their legs. Although I will confess to you, it was ME who really had to stop! :)

I had a good response to my top 5 questions, so I thought I'd add too them. Feel free to ask any questions you have (that I haven't already answered) by way of the comment section and I'll answer them the next time I blog. Most of these questions are from friends/family that have asked in the past....

Q6. We have a pet dog/cat in our home. Can you still come to visit us and will you bring Katie?
A6. YES! We would love to continue to visit your home. And if you want Steve to come, Katie must come too. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY: If you have another dog in your home, we will ask that you pen him/her before we arrive. While Katie is trained, it is hard for any dog to stay still and behave if there is another dog running around her, barking and/or sniffing her...well you know. Cats can stay out in the house. Katie has been trained to behave around cats and it's quite different than having a dog around. If you don't want to kennel, cage or pen your dog, then we absolutely understand and will NOT be offended. Just let us know that you don't feel comfortable with that and we can invite you to our home instead.

Q7. Is there anything special you do before going into a place of business (Target, work, restaurant)?
A7. Yes, before entering anywhere, Steve must find a grassy place for Katie to have the chance to potty before going in. This avoids accidents inside a business. And just in case you were wondering, Steve is required to remove anything left behind by Katie, so he ALWAYS cleans up her messes outside!

Q8. Katie looks so sad. Is she happy?
A8. Yes, Katie is happy. But like a police officer or guard, when they are "on duty", they don't generally smile, laugh and cut up. Katie has a job to do and she understands that. She does have times when she is not "on duty" and Steve will play with her. She may look sad while we are out, but that is her "out in public" face!

Q9. What happens if I call Katie? Will she come to me?
A9. If Katie remembers her training, nothing will happen if you call her. Katie is trained to only obey the commands of her master, which is Steve. Neither Jenna nor I can give her commands. But again, we ask that you don't call her. She is here to keep Steve safe and someone trying to call her (other than Steve) is a distraction.

Q10. What happens if you are trying to go into a business and they won't let you in with Katie?
A10. A place of business MUST, by law, let us in. If they refuse, we are to speak with the manager, who usually knows better than the workers, what the laws are. Ultimately, if push comes to shove, we have the option of calling the Police, although we hope it NEVER comes to that.

Q11. How will Katie know if Steve's blood sugar is getting low?
A11. Katie has been (and continues to be) scent trained. Dogs have a very keen sense of smell which is much better than humans. Dogs can be scent trained to do a variety of things. Sensing low blog sugar is one of them.

Q12. I saw Steve speaking harshly to Katie and yanking on her collar/leash. Why is he so mean to her?
A12. Steve is NOT being mean to Katie. He is correcting a behavior that is unacceptable such as disobedience. It looks like he's being mean. I KNOW. I think the same thing, but Steve has to establish dominance and so he has to use a firm voice when correcting her. Just think if you had a toddler who continued to disobey your commands. You would, most likely, not talk to him in a quiet, sweet voice and expect him to understand the importance of his obedience. Neither can Steve. Katie will continue to train and before long, correction will be minimal.

Q13. Does Katie stay outside or inside and where does she sleep?
A13. Katie stays inside unless Steve takes her outside for a walk. And she sleeps with us. Yes, you heard that right...she sleeps with us. Steve will sleep next to me and for bonding reasons, separate Katie from me. She has to understand that she works for Steve and so her sleeping close to him helps that bonding. In addition, she will be able to more easily detect blood sugar lows during the night.

Q14. Will Steve have any more formal training with Katie or is this it?
A14. We anticipate a week's worth of training in Missouri each year for several years. We have additional training to do while we are home and will report back to them weekly and monthly for quite a while.

Q15. Are you and Jenna allowed to pet/play with Katie when she's "off duty"?
A15. No. For the first 90 days we are home, no one, and especially not Jenna and I can have contact with Katie. It would be very easy for her to bond with one of us. We already love her like crazy because of how safe she is going to keep Steve. And yes, it is EXTREMELY hard for us to not want to just love all over her. But we can't. At least not right now. It's hard and very sad for us, but we know for Katie to help Steve that it's what is best.

I have lots of other things to say, but I would like to rest for a while. It's back to work and camp tomorrow. But only 2 more weeks until our vacation! YAY!

Bring on the questions...if I didn't answer them yet, I'll be happy to...

Just a quick update...

Many of you have emailed or called asking about Steve and Katie. They are still training and doing well. I thought I'd take just a moment to answer a couple of the most frequently asked questions:

Q1. Has she alerted yet?
A1. Yes, she has several times. However, they have to alert several times so that Steve will recognize her alert as what it is and not mistake it for disobedience. This will take more time than 3 weeks so the training will continue long after he gets home.

Q2. Can we pet Katie?
A2. Unfortunately, no. Even Jenna and I will have limited interaction with Katie for a while. We will never love on her and pet her like you would a pet. She WILL always know she is loved though. She is a working dog and if we want her to do her job she must know the difference between working and pet.

Q3. Will she go EVERYWHERE Steve goes?
A3. Yes. EVERYWHERE. On airplanes, cruise boats, mission trips (although that's more complicated than the others), work, church, restaurants, doctors' offices... you name it. If Steve can go there, so will she.

Q4. Is she ALLOWED to go everywhere Steve goes?
A4. Yes, by law and under the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) she must be legally allowed to go everywhere he goes. Out of the country trips are a little sticky, but in the States, she's allowed everywhere...even the hospital (though not an OR).

Q5. Have you found a home for Fred?
A5. No. Not yet. I had one inquiry from the listing on Craigslist, but that guy never called me back. I had one word-of-mouth inquiry, but they are kind of concerned that he hasn't been housebroken for so long. So we are still looking for him a home...keep passing the word. I know God's gonna work this out. He hasn't failed us yet.

Jenna and I will get on a plane Saturday to fly to Missouri. We'll finally meet Steve and Katie and then Saturday afternoon/evening, there will be a graduation ceremony that we will attend. I'm sure I will take TONS of pictures!

After that, depending on the time, we might leave for home Saturday evening but more likely we will wait until Sunday morning and head back in. Not sure what time we'll arrive home, but Monday will be back to normal...well...except there will be a big black dog with us everywhere we go!

One quick prayer request, pray for Steve's dad Bill. He has congestive heart failure and he has some fluid built up around his heart. And then today, he had to have his beloved dog, Gigi, put down (she was 12 and not in good health). Bill is a quiet man, but I know he has got to be lonely without Mary and now his furbaby gone. Just whisper a prayer for him when you think of it.

And now...a couple pictures of Katie...

Meet Fred

This is Fred. Fred is our 6 year old Beagle. We got Fred from the Wilson County Humane shelter when Micah worked there.

When we agreed to enter into the Diabetic Service Dog program at HSP, we agreed to have no other dogs in the home. "In the home" actually means inside or outside. Ever since we knew Steve was accepted, we had plans for Fred to move in with Micah. Well, those plans have fallen through. And now I'm a week away from Steve coming home with Katie and I have no place for Fred to go.

If you are interested in giving Fred a home, please call me, email me or for my friends reading on Facebook, write on my wall or email me there. I have to find a place for Fred by Friday night as we leave Saturday to meet Steve and Katie.

Fred is a great dog! He rarely barks...only when he's excited or playing and he's used to staying outside, although he has been inside as well. He LOVES other dogs and I believe he's really lonely after Mack and Missy died, so he will do best with another dog or inside where he can be with the family all the time. Fred's in great health, no problems at all, although he hasn't yet had his rabies shot. If that's a problem, I'll make it a point to get his shot before you pick him up.

I just want him to go to a good home. It's not like there's anything wrong with him. Just the nature of a service dog, we aren't allowed to have any other dogs. If you think anyone you know might be interested, please let me know ASAP.

Just wanted to hop on and let you all know that Steve and Katie are doing fine. They continue to train in Missouri and are starting new training exercises. They've gone to the movies and are going putt-putt golfing today so Steve can learn to handle her in real life situations. There's so much more to learn. He's missing us and we are missing him but we all understand that this is where he needs to be for now. We are really looking forward to seeing him soon. We have passed the 1/2 way mark!

Chase is doing well from his letters. I received 3 last week and none this week so far, but I'm sure to get something soon.

I guess that's about it. JG and I are just hanging in there...Steve and Katie say "Hello" and thanks everyone who has been asking about them. This has been such a long time coming!

Training Week 1-COMPLETE!

Today completes Steve's first training week and my and Jenna's first week without him. Jenna and I are kind of getting into our groove for sure and we certainly kept busy over the long weekend. I'll have pictures one of these days from our 4th of July festivities, but not tonight. I'm going to read a bit and get in bed.

I talk to Steve regularly and they are doing a lot of repetitive training with the dogs. He has video homework every night that takes quite a bit of time. They had a lot of today off. He went to church, but then it was just him and Katie. He had to tire her down so she will sleep tonight, so he did several long walks and play time.

He sent me a quick little video from his cell phone that I'll try to post here...you'll notice another dog briefly...that's just another dog in training. You might be able to see that Katie does not have her service dog vest on which is how she knows she's "off-duty" and it's OK to play...

Anyway, this week is more of the same for Jenna and I. We went to the Sounds game last night (with family) for the awesome fireworks after, but it got rained out (that is actually an understatement), so we are going to try it again this Friday. Saturday we have the bug spray people coming and then our new couch is being delivered. I seriously need to get the current sofa on Craigslist to see if I can get rid of it before then...yeah, add that to my list.

Otherwise, we have no real plans for the weekend. Depending on our Saturday visitors we might hit the rec center pool again if the weather is nice.

As for now, it's off to read some of my book...

Training Day 3

I'm afraid as the days go on, there will be less and less to report. Steve and Katie are working super-hard. There is so much to learn and Steve is being a trooper. I think both of them are beat tonight. I talked to him about 9:30 and he was headed to bed and Katie was already sound asleep!

Just to give you a taste of what their day is like, the formal training starts at 9am and goes until 5pm. There are breaks in between. There's lots of "book learning" and then they do a "field trip" of sorts to learn how to act and react in all sorts of places. Today was the mall. They'll do a movie, church, an amusement/water park, grocery store etc. Anywhere you might go at home, they will go there. I'm telling you, it sounds like some pretty intense learning. But they are getting it and part of this is about bonding between the two of them also.

I am fortunate to get to talk to Steve off and on throughout the day which makes being apart easier. This week has been OK but the week is easier because Jenna and I are in our normal routine. Jenna really had a breakdown on Sunday night. I wondered if she was going to ever quit sobbing. Tonight she is spending the night with a friend and I'm wondering if she'll make it through the night. She has never been one to have trouble being away from us when she's with friends, but I worry about her tonight since she had a breakdown on Sunday. She called me tonight and sounded sad, and I think part of it has to do with when she gets overtired.

And let me just say how grateful I am for my life. And to caveat, there is NOTHING wrong with being single. I mean, God bless you single women because I am totally supportive of you. But I have decided that I would NOT make a good single person. It's funny because until now, I always thought I would be fine being single, fine being alone etc. And that's true, but only when I know I can come home to my husband and daughter. I'm not like depressed or anything, but I am just a better person being a wife and mother. I also learned that if it were just me I would probably weigh 350 pounds because I would never eat right! I guess the good Lord was looking out for me when he put Steve and I together when I was only 20 years old. :)

I've had a few of you ask about Chase. There are a couple things to report...we are getting a letter from him about every week. He had his wisdom teeth pulled several weeks ago and then his gums got infected and wouldn't quit bleeding. They thought he might be hemophiliac, but the tests came back negative. He ended up having a second surgery and lost a total of 4 days while on bedrest between the two surgeries. He said in the letter I received yesterday that he had an ingrown toenail that got infected and then he was going to have to have the toenail removed this week. I'm sure that's been done by now. Overall, his letters sound upbeat. He is looking forward to Phase 2 which is where they are doing a lot more of using what they've been learning. It's the hardest phase, but everyone says they are so busy and active that time flies. I think that's why he'd looking forward to it. I send something to him every day...either a letter from me, Steve or Jenna. He says the letters really help. So if you haven't written him and want to, please feel free to drop him a line of support. You can get his address here.

I talk to Bertie almost every day and she's doing as well as can be expected. I guess we both are just putting one foot in front of the other. And somehow in doing just that simple act, time passes. I am starting to refocus. My first full week back to work last week was a disaster. I should have just taken the week off because I felt as if I wasn't accomplishing anything. But this week seems better. I managed to get my to-do list written and it was LONG, but at least I am somewhat organized.

And because I think posts with pictures are more exciting, take a look at my new purchase from today:
This isn't exactly what I ordered...the one I got was a sofa sleeper and then the loveseat that matches are reclining. Plus, there is a corner wedge to turn the whole thing into a sectional which we have always wanted. We are turning the downstairs living rom into our family room and the bonus room will be mostly Jenna's playroom. We've been waiting forever to do this and now that we got the floor down, this was the next step.

OK, well, I think I'm tired enough to fall asleep in bed alone now. I'll update you more maybe tomorrow...

A poodle named "Fluffy"

Some of you will get the title of this post, some will not, so let me explain...

Ever since we have known that Steve was getting a Service dog, he has worried about receiving a poodle. Nothing against poodles for all you poodle-lovers out there, but it just wasn't a breed Steve had a real connection with. Not a very MANLY dog. And wouldn't you know it, we found out that they DO use the large breed of poodles occasionally. Somewhere along the way, friends and family began telling Steve that he was getting a giant poodle named Fluffy. This has now become an ongoing joke.

Well, today, I post this to put that joke to rest. Allow me to introduce to you, the newest member of the Taylor family:

KATIE

Katie is a 2 year old black lab (mix). Steve is beyond thrilled...yes, that she's not a poodle, but also that she is older and a very MANLY dog. He told me on the phone that he thinks he got the best dog of the whole bunch. She's very well trained already and not hyper like some of the other dogs. They do try to match the dogs and their owner's personality. And I feel like this is going to be a perfect fit.

I have to confess, up until today, I have cringed at the thought of our life changing to accomodate this dog. The thought of trying to make airfare reservations, going to church and into restaurants etc...well, it just annoyed me. But today, seeing a picture of this dog who will give me such a peace of mind is just exhilarating! I cannot wait to meet Katie in person! It is going to be hard not to want to love on her like a pet. But she is a working dog. And I must remember that if I want her to work for Steve's safety.

This has been a very LONG time coming and I'm thrilled to be able to share it with you all...more to come later...

Training Day 1

Steve has officially started his training! He got up this morning and went to church, then grabbed lunch and training started at 1pm. He called me while on break and said that they were going over some information and there was "a lot". There is another classmate who is close to his age and from Louisiana, so that is pretty neat. It is a small class and that is a good thing.

We did find out that he needed our camcorder which he did NOT take. So, he's going to Wal-Mart tonight to determine whether it's more economical for him to buy a cheap one or me to overnight and insure ours. You can get them for less than $150 these days.

And I know you are all wondering what kind of dog he has and its name etc. They won't meet their service dogs until tomorrow after lunch. As soon as I know something, I will post here.

What have Jenna and I done so far? Yesterday morning, we spent about 3 hours at the pool with our friends Wendy, Abby and Katelyn. That was fun but H-O-T! Katelyn came back to the house and spent some time with us and then it was ready to get cleaned up for our girls' night out. Rachel and I went to see Legally Blonde and Hannah and Jenna played together until we got home, which was close to midnight.

We went home and slept until about 7:30 (which was not nearly enough rest) and then we talked to Steve before he left for church. I got up and fixed us breakfast and then cleaned up the kitchen. We got caught up on our thank you notes from the funeral and JG's birthday, read some books and watched some TV. We finally got dressed and went out for some lunch at Burger King (JG's choice).

I got all the laundry done, folded and put away and baked some banana bread. Then I surfed the net for some living room furniture. Now I'm about to get ready for church.

Tomorrow starts a pretty busy week...I'll be doing drop off and pick up duty alone and that's stressful. JG is going to spend the night with her BFF one night this week, so I'm sure I'll find myself with LOTS of time on my hands.

I'll update when I know more about how Steve is progressing.

He's there

Just to let you all know that Steve arrived in Missouri SAFELY (thank you Jesus!) about an hour ago. He didn't really get on the road until about 9am because before he got very far, he realized he forgot his insulin and he had to come back. We met him at the interstate so he didn't come all the way back, but he did lose some time.

Because of his hip, he stopped once for food and once for gas and spent some time walking around and stretching out. So considering he probably lost an hour doing that, it only took him about 6 hours, so that's great!

He has checked into his hotel and is most likely resting until dinnertime and then he's going to go out and get some food and some drinks for his fridge.

I'm about to pick Rachel up and have our girls night out. Distractions are good. Wish us luck!

On his way...

Steve just pulled out of the driveway bound for Missouri to start training with his Diabetic Alert Dog.

And I cried hysterically when he left.

My own child held it together, but not me. It's not just his leaving...it's that the three closest men in my life are gone...Chase, my Dad and now Steve. And I know there are others around who love me and will help while Steve is gone, but none of them are him. None can replace my Daddy. And none can be Chase.

I think my tears (which are still going) are from a conglomeration of a year gone horribly wrong. This time last year, Steve was recovering from hip replacement surgery. We were trying to raise money for his dog and I was pretty much being a taxi/single parent. The day after Steve was released from his doctor and PT, my dad got pneumonia and spent several weeks in the hospital which was the real beginning of his decline and in my opinion, when the Daddy I knew died to me. He was never the same after. He did have his good days, but by and large, they were fraught with illness, worry, dementia etc.

At Christmas, we found out Steve's mom would leave us and a short 3 weeks later she was gone. We enjoyed just a few months of peace and that's when Steve's work issues started. Then Chase announced he was leaving and then just 3 short weeks later, he was gone. Finally Steve's work issues resolved just in time for Daddy to go back in the hospital and start his final decline. Within another 3 short weeks my father was gone. And just a week and 1/2 after that, Steve is gone (oddly enough for 3 weeks...what is that saying about things coming in threes?)

A friend said to me yesterday (MP!) that the Lord doesn't give you more than you can handle. But I think sometimes He does. I think He gives me more than I can handle because He wants me to lean on HIM. So that's what I'm going to do. And during this 3 weeks, I'm going to thank God for the blessings He's given me over the past year. He has shown Himself as real in more ways than I can count with the Diabetic Service Dog process. I was able to spend quality time with my Dad near the end. I am now forging a new and wonderful relationship with Bertie (my step-mom) without my dad. And I could go on and on.

Anyway, really there is nothing informational in this post. I just needed to get my mind off Steve being gone (though he's probably not even out of the "Hill" yet!) and focus on what I do have.

On another note, I spent Thursday with Bertie going through Daddy's things. I was very depressed all evening and yesterday morning. Almost 82 years boiled down to a few boxes of things which are insignificant to most people. Just goes to show that it really ISN'T the material things we leave behind that matter.

OK, this is just too depressing...I promise the next few posts will be more exciting. I'll definitely keep you posted on Steve's training. So be sure and check back often...

Today's plans are for Jenna and I to meet some friends at the pool and then tonight Rachel and I are going to see Legally Blonde at TPAC. So we do have fun things planned.

More later...

Your prayers worked!

I wanted to get on here right away and thank each of you who have called, emailed, offered support and information about the issue on Steve's work and his taking FMLA while training with his dog.

Steve's HR person told him this morning that she was going to approve the FMLA because she just couldn't find anything that would keep them from approving it. She said that the main boss didn't seem to like the way the endocrinologist worded the FMLA paperwork, but the HR lady thought it was fine. She said she wasn't sure if training with a service animal was covered under FMLA and Steve told her that it was and he'd talked to the Department of Labor before he asked to be covered.

I didn't want to post anything about it until I knew for sure, but he called just now and said she had the papers ready and he signed them for FMLA coverage! She said that the boss said he wasn't approving it, but the law was. She doesn't understand what his problem is. She is very excited to see this animal in action. She said she just thinks the boss doesn't understand it, but Steve said he'd offered several times to sit down and explain it to him, but he will not do it.

The Lord is good! But will you please pray for this man, the boss? This is hard for me to ask for because both Steve and I harbor some pretty hard feelings about him for obvious reasons, but I really feel this man needs prayer. I'm not going to put his name here, but the Lord will know who you are praying for.

And I can't thank you enough for your prayers. This is just more evidence that they do work!

As if we needed anything else...

As most of you know, Steve is set to leave for his diabetic service dog training on Saturday morning. He is mostly packed, all his medications ready and FMLA paperwork filled out.

Then just now he called me and said his company is questioning the validity of his FMLA request. The US Department of Labor told us that this was a covered reason and that's why we pursued it. The company is requesting a medical second opinion. So in essence, they want another endocrinologist to tell them that Steve really is diabetic I guess. And the company has asked him to CANCEL HIS TRAINING and reschedule for later after they can work this out. SERIOUSLY?

I am so used to the antics they have pulled in the past with this that I'm not even sure I can be angry. I know...hear me... I KNOW this is all in God's will. There are hundreds of things that have come together on this that could not have if God's hand wasn't all in it. So the only thing I know to do is pray. So I'm once again, asking you to pray for us. Pray that this will be resolved. I don't know how that might happen...maybe they end up firing him...but I'm willing to accept that as an answer if that is the answer I'm given.

I tell you, I am just about filled to the brim with all that's gone on surrounding this and all the past week's events. I just want some peace. Would you pray with me for that?

I will keep you posted.

Birthday #2

After I made it through Steve's surprise party, I could focus on Jenna's party on Saturday afternoon. She is lucky to have a summer birthday, but up until this year, we really haven't taken advantage of that. Last year, I felt like she kind of got ripped off because we had planned a sleepover with her best friends, but then Steve fell and broke his hip and I just wasn't able to follow through. So this year, I decided to invite her whole class. True to form, we had about 50% show up, but along with our friends and family she had PLENTY of attendees.

I rented a local park pavilion which was terribly INEXPENSIVE. I bought bulk hamburger patties and hotdogs and a cupcake cake. I think total cost was about $150 which is way cheaper than renting a bouncy place or the zoo. The food and cake was just super cheap...we had access to the park playground, the grassy area a covered pavilion, gas grill and a basketball court. It was just a great deal and even though it was hot as Hades, it was a good party.

Jenna got so many nice things and not one duplicate. My friend Katelyn took pictures and my friend Carrie helped with the food, gifts and kids which allowed me to enjoy the party more. THANKS FRIENDS! (I gave Rachel the day off, but she was there the whole time!) Of course my SIL and sister, Deanne and Teresa helped as well.

But the big surprise of the day was that Nana showed up. That's what Jenna calls my stepmom Bertie. We weren't sure she would be up to getting out, but she did and her gift was the hit of the party. She had made... M-A-D-E a doll bed for Jenna's American Girl dolls (if you'll recall, she was the one who got JG her first AG doll at Christmas). And when I say she "made" it, I mean she used screws, wood, painted and even MADE a mattress, sheets, comforters, pillows etc. It's like a real bed and in my opinion, better than the AG beds you can buy (which are terribly expensive). And what made the bed even more special was that Nana told Jenna she had begun making it before Daddy had gotten so sick. She showed it to him before and he just grinned from ear to ear and said they'd have to hide it until her birthday. And then Nana wrote on the bottom of it and signed both her and Daddy's name (Poppop). Jenna's little eyes teared up when she read that. That girl did love her Poppop. Such a keepsake!

Then, to top it off, Jenna opened the accompanying box which was FULL of AG clothes that Nana had hand made including accessories to match such as necklaces, bracelets and purses. Anyone out there with little girls interested in AG, I know you are jealous. We are SO lucky. Despite the hard time that bookended Jenna's actual birthday and party, it turned out great, but I have to admit, Mom was glad it was over!

Birthday #1

For a while, I have been thinking about planning a surprise birthday party for Steve. This year, on July 4, he would turn 50 years old AND he is going to be away in Missouri training with his Diabetic Service Alert dog. What a total bummer to be gone on that big milestone birthday.

So, with some help from my "bestie" Rachel, I planned a surprise shindig for Steve for last Friday. I had no idea what I would go through the week prior to Friday night, but I pushed through and with Rach's help, we pulled it off.

We had everyone meet at a local pizzeria at 6:30 and my job was to get Steve there. I told him that Rachel offered to pay for our dinner since we'd had such an awful week. He fell for it hook, line and sinker. I was afraid he would recognize all the faces in the back room as we approached, but luckily he was distracted by one of the kids from a friend of ours who was outside the room at the time. He was looking the opposite direction when everyone screamed "SURPRISE!" It was awesome and I can't believe we totally pulled it off.

We had about 40 folks show up to celebrate with us. It was actually supposed to be a combined 50th and going away party...but obviously it was easier to find the 50th/Over the Hill stuff to decorate with.

We are so blessed to have such good friends who love us and have been SO supportive during our fundraising and issues with Steve's work (which incidentally we HOPE have been worked out).

Thanks to all of you who came. We are so thankful for each and every one of you!

More Sad News...

You won't believe what happened today? Our 13 year old basset hound, Mack, died. As if we haven't had enough to deal with lately, we came home to find him passed away. By the looks of it, it was fairly recent. He was almost always an outside dog. He was, after all, a hound. We kept him inside the first several years of his life, but he would sit and look out the door wanting to go out and put his nose to the ground. So finally we turned him out and he has loved every minute of it. But he's an old fella and we knew the end was coming soon. We'd fixed him a little pallet outside under the deck where it was cool (the sun never hits that area) and every morning and afternoon Steve and Jenna would go out and check on him. Today, he wasn't breathing and Fred, our Beagle, was whining and moping around up on top of the deck.

Jenna called me on my way home from work sobbing about it and I felt awful that I couldn't be there with her. Steve dug a hole in the back yard and we planted flowers in the dirt and because we have an overabundance of flowers from the funeral, I gave her several which she put on top. We said our goodbyes to our faithful buddy and made our way back inside.

I searched for a picture of Mack, but I don't have one easily accessible. Hopefully I can find one soon.

Goodbye faithful friend.

Cletus Mackenzie "Mack" Taylor
(yes, his given AKC registered name...by Steve obviously)
July 1996 - June 2009

1 week

In just a few hours, it will be 24 hours since I got the call that changed my life. A week...doesn't seem possible.

I know this post is long past due. But now the emotions aren't so close to the surface and I can better say all that I wanted.

During the visitation for Daddy, I saw so many friends that I hadn't seen in a while and it was so nice. I think I had more friends represented by flowers than anyone else at the funeral home and I was SO proud of that.

My friend Kelly sang "I Can Only Imagine" and I will never be able to hear that song the same way again. It was beautiful and meaningful and I'm so glad he was able to be there. Unfortunately for him, he and I were very close when my mother passed away some number of years ago. My home church pastor did the service and he included several sweet memories which made the whole thing a little more bearable. Daddy had said several times in the past that he loved the bagpipes, so I hired a bagpiper who played at the cemetery and that was just amazing. And it was very economical...worth every penny. Because Daddy was a veteran, an American flag was presented to Bertie. It was all just very sweet although very sad.

My family from Jacksonville Florida came in. These are the sons of my uncle James (who passed away when I was in Kindergarten). There are 4 of them, all carrying the Jett name and they all came up from Florida including Tracey (one of the wives) and Elizabeth (my aunt, married to James). I can't even put into words how touching it was for all of them to come up. In fact, we asked the 4 men to be pallbearers. They loved Daddy and it was an honor to have them participate.

After all the activities, we went to Bertie's for food. For such a sad time, it was great to all be together. All these pictures were taken around the funeral service and after. My friend from work, Katelyn, was kind enough to use my camera to get some of these shots so I would have them. Thanks friend!

So, the question of the day is how am I doing? I am OK. The most obvious hard part is over. Now I learn to live without my father. Friday I went to work for a few hours just so I wasn't sitting at home alone with my thoughts. I had 2 birthday parties (one a surprise) to finish planning, so I left at 2pm. Not a very productive day. Today was my first full day back and I found it hard to focus. I was 0% productive today so tomorrow I am back to the grind and going to try and hole up in my office and focus. We are eventually going to have to go through Daddy's things, pick out the headstone and talk to the attorney...all things that will bring the sadness back to the forefront.

Goodbye

I said my final goodbyes on Thursday to my Daddy. It was the second hardest thing I've ever done in my life. Second to only saying goodbye to my Mother at age 18. There are many things I want to tell you about the service and the events surrounding...and I will. Just as soon as I can get my thoughts together.

We have also had (or are about to have) several other exciting events occur and I want to share those with you as well. Stay tuned...updates are forthcoming.

Yesterday, I celebrated the 8 year anniversary of a life entering this world. Today I mourn the loss of a life leaving this world.

Just 5 short months ago, I sat in a similar room at a similar home watching another loved one dying. Yesterday, I found myself in the same situation except now it was my earthly father instead of my beloved mother-in-law.

Last night, I watched as death stole the vitality and breath from my Daddy. 8 years ago a life was born and it changed me forever. Today a life left this world that will change my life just as dramatically.

Today I said goodbye to my last living biological parent and Jenna got a belated birthday present in that her Poppop met Jesus face to face and reunited with her grandma. But Sunday I will celebrate Father's Day without mine.

Thanks for your well wishes in whatever form they've taken. The two questions I'm getting are:
*How are you doing? I am doing as well as can be expected. Daddy was just a few weeks shy of his 82nd birthday and he had been ill for some time. There is some relief in that he is no longer suffering and some joy in that he is in heaven with my mother, my childhood pastor and friend and mother-in-law (as well as all his siblings who he outlived by many years). Yet there is suffocating grief in between. Bertie is doing about the same. She needs some serious rest as it has literally been days since she slept. She will need strength in the coming days as she will feel his absence more acutely than the rest of the family. *Can we do anything? At this point, all we need are prayers. I would love for someone to come clean my house, fix me dinner and do the laundry, but I guess that's what I have Steve for! :) In all seriousness, we are fine and there is nothing right now we need except your moral and prayer support.

Visitation will be tomorrow, Wednesday, June 17 from 4pm-8pm at Woodbine Funeral home on Nolensville Road (for the locals, this is the "old" Woodbine, NOT Hickory Chapel). The service will be at 11:00am (1 hour prior to the service will be visitation) at the funeral home with the interment at Woodlawn Cemetery immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Radnor Baptist Church Building Fund.

Herman Paul Jett
"Daddy", "Pappy", "Grandaddy" & "Poppop"
July 5, 1927 - June 16, 2009

Daddy-I love you. I miss you already. Tell Mama "Hi" for me and I'll be seeing you both again one day.

Going Home...

I am typing this from my cell so please excuse the typos...


Daddy passed away peacefully earlier this morning. We haven't made arrangements yet but I will post them here when we do. Thanks for your prayers of support.

Birthday Fun (and other stuff...)

Tonight we celebrated Jenna's 8th birthday. Here are some pictures of our celebration. Hang in for the happy stuff and then I'll get to the rest...

Instead of a bunch of little stuff, Jenna just got a couple big (read: expensive) gifts. I wrapped them individually, but then put them all in one large box. Here's Jenna with the big box...

Meet Julie and Ivy, 2 best friend American Girl dolls. Julie is my favorite because her era is 1974 which the year in which I was born. JG wanted this girl at Christmas, but she was sold out. As you can see, she was ultra-excited to get Julie and Ivy.

I had asked Jenna what special meal she wanted for her birthday and she went all out...LITTLE SMOKIES...better known as cocktail weiners. I figured I'd better take her up on that cheap dinner while I have the chance. So here they are...

And then instead of a cake, she wanted Gigi's, so here we are enjoying our Gigi's cupcake ala Jenna's birthday!

It was a good evening overall. I'm emotionally beat though, so as soon as I log off, I'm going to get a nice hot shower and then get in bed early.

I spent most of the day with Daddy and Bertie. The family was by the bedside for most of the day. Respirations are speeding up, which for someone with advanced lung disease, that is bad. It's taking more breaths to get oxygen to the major organs. His blood pressure and other vitals are going slowly down. He is unresponsive and no longer able to swallow. It is literally just a matter of time. But only God knows how long. That's really all there is to report. I have read every text, email, and comment. And I appreciate each one of them. God is good and He has been near to us.

8 Years ago today...

8 years ago today, at 7:02am, my little miracle entered the world and my world has not been the same since!

Just wishing my sweet baby girl the happiest of birthdays today!

And not to overshadow the happiness of this day, but I wanted to give you all an update on my Dad. Several of you have texted, left comments, called and written on my Facebook page (which I have checked a few times from my phone) and the update is that his vitals are now dropping and they have upped his morphine in order to keep him comfortable. The family has been called, so now it's just all in God's perfect timing. If things go as planned, I am leaving at 3pm today to get Jenna, pick up her birthday cupcake from Gigi's and get home in time to meet the cable guy, so hopefully I can post again this afternoon from home.

Thanks for all your prayers. We need them and especially ask for a peaceful passing for Daddy. Will update when I know more.

Internet Down...

My internet is down at home and the first available appointment for a tech is Monday, so I will be scarce until I can get back online again.

There's really not much to report. Steve and I BOTH got letters from Chase a couple days ago. I love hearing from him. A week ago, they pulled all 4 of his wisdom teeth. He said they gave him 8 shots and pulled 2 at a time. YIKES! He got 2 days of bedrest though and I guess he might have used that time to write everyone because I know his mom got a letter about the same time. Poor fella. But he did admit it was hard and there have been times he wanted to quit. He said everyone, including the Drill Instructors (DIs) will tell you the fastest way to get off "this island" is to graduate which, he says, "I will do." Those 3 words made me so happy. Not that I had any doubt, but seeing it on paper just made it better. Otherwise, he is "fine" and he says to keep the letters coming. He did confirm he was getting something from us almost every day.

Rachel is doing fine. She is still in some pain and not getting better as quickly as she'd like. I took her dinner last night and if you are local and want to take her dinner some time this weekend or even early next week, just contact me and I can let you know some ideas of what she can eat and give you an address. I should have posted about that like a week ago, but with everything going on, I just forgot. And I know she'll read this and tell me I shouldn't have etc., but just ignore her. They could use the meals because she isn't really able to get up and do anything yet.

Daddy is still hanging in there. He has not taken as much food and drink as he was and he is acting like he just doesn't feel good in general. Bertie talked to his doctor yesterday. She is feeling an extreme amount of guilt as if she is not doing enough. The doctor did tell her that all the things that are happening (or have stopped happening) is normal for this stage and there's really not much she can do except keep him comfortable. Bertie now has the crud that everyone else has (allergy induced I'm certain) but she's pushing through and doing whatever she can. If you think of it, please pray for her strength. You have no idea what all she does for Daddy every day and with very little help. She does have a nurse that comes in for several hours in the evening, but that only allows her a few hours of rest during that time. All during the day she is the sole caregiver...getting him up, rolling him over, trying to feed him and give him meds. It is more than a full time job (because full time jobs, you only work about 8-10 hours a day) and not a fun one at that. So your prayers are appreciated. I'm thinking I might make a couple easy meals for her this weekend so at least she is getting some good nourishment herself. I don't think she's eating much because she cannot leave his side long enough to fix herself anything. Anyway, I digress.

Monday is Jenna's 8th birthday and I'm not sure who's more excited about opening presents...me or her. Stay tuned...I'm sure I'll have pictures of that on Monday (assuming my internet connection is fixed).

I'll be online on Facebook from my cell this weekend. Check for updates there. If you don't do FB, then you'll have to text or call me!

TGIF!

Book Review-Sisterchicks in Wooden Shoes

OK...here we are...another review, another giveaway!

Sisterchicks in Wooden Shoes is written by Robin Jones Gunn. It is a very sweet book and reminded me a little of the Yada-Yada books if you have ever read them. It is a very good read and one that I finished in less than a week. There's an entire LINE of Sisterchick books and they are all stand alone stories, so you don't have to read the others to enjoy this one...but once you read this one, you'll be hooked and there are many others to read and enjoy.

About Sisterchicks...

When a mammogram result comes back abnormal, midlife mama Summer Finley makes a snap decision to relegate fear to the back burner and fulfill a lifelong dream. Summer heads for Holland where she meets up with tulips, wooden shoes, and her best friend, Noelle.

Pen pals since fourth grade, Summer and Noelle have never met face-to-face. Through decades of heart-level correspondence, they have sustained a deep friendship. A week of adventure helps both women trade anxiety for a renewed and deeper trust in God. When Summer confides in Noelle about the abnormal medical report, Noelle finds the freedom to share a long-held heartache, and both women discover they needed each other more than they realized.

Readers will enjoy Robin Jones Gunn’s humorous and uplifting style. True-to-life characters and moments of poignancy bring a deeper understanding of the value of life and the gift of true friends. As a bonus, there is a readers guide and bonus material included. Fabulous!

This Sisterchicks book is just one of several of the Sisterchick stories. If you are wondering what in the world a Sisterchick is, allow me to define (straight from the Sisterchick website): "a friend who shares the deepest wonders of your heart, loves you like a sister, and provides a reality check when you're being a brat." So, don't we ALL have Sisterchicks????

Let me encourage you to leave me a comment or email me at sandras_junk@charter.net to enter and win a copy of this book. Once you are done reading, go out, pick up the other Sisterchicks books and pass this one on to a fellow Sisterchick!

I'll draw 2 winners after Friday, June 12. And as always, if you can't wait for the drawing, you can go here to purchase it yourself!

Update on Rachel...

David just called and said they had discharged Rachel and they are almost home. She is sleeping and had complained of some pain, but not sure what kind of pain. They have her on some pain meds which should keep it under control. She is on a diet of clear liquids today but hopefully will be able to eat more good stuff tomorrow.

David says to thank everyone for their well-wishes and prayers. And I'm sure once Rachel is in her "right mind", she'll say the same!!

Update on Rachel

My good friend Rachel went in today to have surgery on her gallbladder. She's really been having some problems lately and was hoping the surgery would alleviate those issues.

I just got a call from her husband and she is out of surgery and it went fine. The gallbladder was full of stones, so hopefully this will take care of all her symptoms.

She is in recovery now and once she is released, I'll update again. On behalf of myself and the Millsaps, thank you for your prayers!

I'm laughing out loud...

I was just reading my last post and I literally laughed out loud at this comment...

"He did speak periodically, but it was nonsensical and made no sense." Uh. Isn't that a bit redundant? HA! Obviously I was tired and didn't proofread.

OK, a little comic relief there. I am not going to get to the book review today, but I will this week.

The report on Daddy was that he had an OK night and morning. The nurse came to check his vitals and everything seemed about normal for his condition. The lower number of his BP seems to be going lower. His respirations were a little lower and the nurse said the coughing was normal for "this stage" referring to his lung disease.

That's about it for now...

Just a quick update...

We went to see Daddy this afternoon. He is definitely better than on Thursday, however, he is now coughing which isn't that big of a deal for most, but for someone who has only 20% use of his lungs, that is a bit bothersome to me. He was awake when we were there and by the look in his eyes, he recognized us, but he did not call us by name. The most he could muster was saying he loved me. I did get him to drink a little nutritional drink and a few bites of nutritional yogurt. It wasn't much at all, but it was better than nothing. He did speak periodically, but it was nonsensical and made no sense.

That's about it for now. I'm headed to bed a little bit early (though not much) after I put another load of laundry in! Thanks for your thoughts and prayers...keep them coming!

Oh, and not to forget a little giveaway business...Teresa and Christy will take home a copy of Saints in Limbo along with their Night Watchman books! I will be doing a review tomorrow on another (and final) book...so stay tuned for more on that.

I'm enjoying my leisurely Saturday afternoon and thought I would update you all on the goings-on with the Taylor family.

Thursday we got another letter from Chase in the mail. He even sent Jenna one all her own. She was very excited and so were we. He still says he's doing "fine" and to keep the letters coming because they are like "gold" there.

Daddy had a really good day on Friday...relatively speaking. He did come around a bit and was able to eat (just really soft foods like applesauce) and drink a little. Obviously it's not enough like a normal person, but it was more than nothing which is what he had been eating previously. He also had some moments of clarity which is a good thing. We are unsure as to whether this is an increase in health or the well known "rally" before the downhill slide. Today has been better than the past few days but not as good as yesterday. So right now, that's all there is to report. We plan to visit tomorrow at some point.

Thanks again for all your comments and thoughts. Stay tuned...

Update on...stuff...and BOOK WINNERS!

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days. To be honest, there was not news to post.

Daddy is still hanging on. The nurse from hospice yesterday said she didn't understand how he was still here. We had a big scare today thinking that "this is it" and Steve even left work to head over to the house. But at the last minute, he rallied and now is breathing a little better. I don't think anyone thinks he is going to really get better...it's just all on God's timing. It's very hard for Bertie and I to let go control...which is ironic because it's not like we have control anyway!

So many of you have left happy thoughts remembering stories about Daddy and that is comforting to me. I appreciate all your well wishes and thoughts here, in email and on Facebook. I owe several of you emails and I will get to them. I have had a hard time focusing at work this week and so I feel that I haven't gotten as much done as I should have. I promise I will respond to you when I can.

On a much happier note, we got another letter from Chase today! YAHOO!! It was short, but he said he was fine and that he has kind of gotten used to the yelling. He is trying to fly low under the radar and stay out of trouble by doing what he's told and so far so good. He did say to write as many letters as we could because they are like "gold" there. He even sent Jenna her own letter in response to her letter and drawing to him. She was STOKED! I'm not sure who was more excited to hear from him, me or her! I have sent letters every day since the day we got his address. I'm thinking about addressing and stamping envelopes to carry with me so if you see me ask about those and I'll have one ready for you to make it easy for you to send letters. I already told him that several of my friends and family are going to send notes, so he should not be surprised if he gets something from someone he doesn't know!

OK, and lastly, I am overdue (again!) to draw winners for the Night Watchman book. The two lucky ladies are Christy and Teresa! You see them winning alot because they always enter. You can't win if you don't enter. You don't have to know me to enter my contests, so bring it on! I'm also drawing for Saints in Limbo this week and then I just finished another book for next week...after that, I'll be on hiatus for a while, so get 'em while you can!

Teresa and Christy-you've both entered the Saints in Limbo giveaway, so I'll email you about getting your books to you after we see if either of you win more!

Saints in Limbo

I'm sure the title of this post could be multi-dimensional considering what's going on in my life right now, but all it really is is the title to my latest Blog Review Book!

This one was different than the others before, but it was still great! I gotta tell you, I'm loving these books!

Saints in Limbo is written by River Jordan (and what a cool name!) who is a critically acclaimed novelist and playwright whose unique mixture of southern and mystic writing has drawn comparisons to Sarah Addison Allen, Leif Enger, and Flannery O’Connor. Her previous works include The Messenger of Magnolia Street, lauded by Kirkus Reviews as “a beautifully written, atmospheric tale.” She speaks around the country and makes her home in Nashville. So she's a local...another reason to read this book!

Saints in Limbo is a story about Velma True whose world, ever since her husband Joe died, has been limited to what she can see while clinging to one of the multicolored threads tied to the porch railing of her home outside Echo, Florida. And that is literal...she can go no further than these threads.

That is, until a mysterious stranger appears at her door on her birthday and presents Velma with a special gift. She is rattled by the object’s ability to take her into her memories–a place where Joe still lives, her son Rudy is still young, unaffected by the world’s hardness, and the beginning is closer than the end. As secrets old and new come to light, Velma wonders if it’s possible to be unmoored from the past’s deep roots and find a reason to hope again.

I can't say enough about this book...it's heartwarming and I truly enjoyed reading it. As always, I have two copies to give away. If you are interested in winning a copy, email me at Sandras_junk@charter.net or leave a comment below. I'll draw this Sunday, June 7th after noon.


And if you can't wait for the drawing, you can go here to purchase the book NOW!
It's a free book...so ENTER!

First, let me thank all of you for your sweet thoughts, comments and prayers for our family. The outpouring has really been amazing and I appreciate each of you. Today has been much of the same...no real change.

On a happier note, today Steve and I celebrated our 13th anniversary! Who would have thought that a 21 and 36 year old would still be happy as ever 13 years later?! We exchanged small gifts today and then we went to the Japanese steakhouse. It was DELISH!

And then the biggest news of all??? We got our first letter from Chase! His writing sounds JUST LIKE him which is a huge relief for us. He is doing OK he says. He said the first 37 hours they didn't sleep at all while they got all their "crap" (such a Chase comment). He writes that the DI ("drill instructor) tries to make things interesting and usually you do fine as long as you move fast and do what you are told. He hasn't gotten yelled at...yet. I'm sure that's coming. He did say to write alot because he misses home. I think I have that one covered!

So, all in all, today's been a good day.

What I really want to do is pour my heart out in this post. I want to show you all the pain in my mind and heart. But these things aren't able to be put into words that would do them justice so it will be "just the facts".

I went to spend time with Daddy today. It had been almost a week since I'd seen him and I can tell you he looked a lot worse today than he did only a week ago. He is not eating much at all. I realized today that I would get excited over the 5 bites of peaches he took and cup of water he drank one day, but that would be all he had that day and probably all he would eat for 2 or 3 days and that is just not enough to sustain life. Today that reality hit me fully in the face.

I have to be honest, I can not see how he is continuing to hang on. There are not words enough to describe how thin this nearly 6 foot tall man is now. Let me make it clear...I am watching him starve to death. I understand now the court cases surrounding removal of feeding tubes. Daddy was absolutely clear throughout his life that he never wanted to be kept alive with a feeding tube and we have honored those wishes. However, if there were already a feeding tube in place, removing it, after seeing what I have, would be awfully hard.

It is just a matter of time now. I would say no more than 2 weeks at most. That's just my guess. He could hang on longer. Only God knows.

He was aware of us being there today. When I came into the room, he recognized me and reached for me. He hugged me and when I kissed him and told him I loved him, he said he loved me too. Each time I'd leave the room he'd tell me to be careful. The two things he said his entire life to me, he says now, in death, "I love you" and "Be careful". That's my Daddy for you.

To you who have sent emails and left comments on my Facebook...thank you. Keep the prayers coming. I know I will need them in the days ahead.

Weekend News...

Several things to update you on...

Daddy is about the same. Some hours are better than others. I really don't know that there is much more to say. Most of the time he's not really lucid. His breathing is extremely labored. He has been eating a little tiny bit. That's about all there is to report.

Chase's mom received a letter from him today. He said he was doing well and it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be (thought I think it is definitely as hard as he imagined!). He said he loved us all and to tell everyone to write as much as they could especially me and Steve. I guess he won't be disappointed! I put two letters in the morning mail on Friday, one today and I have one for Monday and Wednesday! I'm SO relieved to hear from him even though it is secondhand. And I'll be hoping that he sends us something soon!

So, this weekend has been full and fun. Last night, we went to the little fair in the neighboring town. I have a child that has no fear and the first ride she chose to ride was one that I had to ride with her. I can't remember the name of it, but it was fast and went around and around. This picture is while we were riding and I thought it was hilarious!We rode most of the bigger rides now that she's tall enough to ride them. Here we are on the Ferris Wheel.Then today we met our friends the Rhineharts at the Rec center pool. It was perfect weather for swimming although the water was a tiny bit cool. There were many great photo ops!
Tonight we went to a party at our friends the Hebdens who just moved to Spring Hill. I do have a couple pictures from that, but I haven't uploaded them yet so you'll just have to use your imagination! The Millsaps are on their way over to watch a movie, so the fun is just beginning!

Tomorrow I have to do laundry and then I think I'll visit Daddy before night church and South Campus training tomorrow night. Monday is a special day...our 13th wedding anniversary! Lucky 13!

Amish Love

What’s all the hubbub about Amish fiction? Major media outlets like Time and ABC Nightline are covering it, and authors like Cindy Woodsmall are making the New York Times bestseller list regularly. What makes these books so interesting?

Check out the recent ABC Nightline piece here (http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=7676659&page=1) about Cindy and her titles When the Heart Cries, When the Morning Comes, and When the Soul Mends. It’s an intriguing look at Amish culture and the time Cindy has spent with Amish friends.

And don’t forget that Cindy’s new book The Hope of Refuge hits store shelves August 11, and is available for preorder now.

Chase's Address

Many of you have asked for it, so here it is...Chase's address at boot camp.

RCT Taylor, Steven C/8805
Platoon 1053 , Co "C" 1st RTBN
P.O. Box 11053
Parris Island , SC
29905 - 1053

If anyone out there wants to write a card or letter of support, I have heard that those are very important to recruits during bootcamp. Steve and I would love it if you would drop him a line. I know several of you have already asked me if you could do so and to you, THANK YOU!

Please note that letters and cards are fine, but nothing large, bulky and no food items. I'll have more information about what can and can't be sent, but until now, these guidelines should suffice. Also, the recruits only get about 1 hour per night (if that) to write, so please don't be offended if you don't get a return letter or note. Just know that he's receiving them and that we all appreciate your support.

We are sending our letters out with the morning mail so hopefully he'll have something from home in just a few days.

And feel free to forward this around to any of your friends or church members that might like to write as well. I have heard the first 5-6 weeks are the toughest as they are being broken down and so as much encouragement as they can get is definitely needed.

Thanks!

News to Share

Some of you know, I'm a blog-ho. Really, I read A LOT of blogs. There have been two this week that have really impacted me and I'd like to share them with you.

Many of you already read MckMama's blog and if you don't, let me tell you, you are MISSING out. She is hilarious and has a tremendous testimony. One of her MSC (many small children...you'll understand this if you read her blog) we have been praying for...see that button for Stellan on my blog? Yep, that's MckMama...check out her latest post...you'll be really glad you did. And if you spend any time on her blog you'll get hooked. I promise.

Another blog that has more recently been added to my roll is Stuff Christians Like. Again, Prodigal Jon is HI-LARIOUS! But yesterday's post was definitely something to think about. I encourage you to read it...

Several of you have asked for updates on my dad. We went to visit for a bit on Monday and he was doing about the same. Sleeping when we got there but Bertie had been able to get a few bites of peaches down him and about 3/4 cup of water. She had pulled back on the high dosages of sedation in hopes that he would stay calm but be more alert. She took Jenna to the grocery store while we were there because she is his caregiver almost 24/7 and almost doesn't ever have time to do these things. I sat by his bedside the whole time holding his hand and occasionally talking to him. At one point, I thought that I would feel much better if he'd just open his eyes and be able to see me (you know, really SEE me) and say "I love you" one more time. I had bowed my head to pray this prayer when I felt the tears start welling in my eyes. No matter how old you are or what your relationship, I don't think you are ever ready to lose a parent. I know that Daddy isn't perfect, but in the end, he was MY Daddy and I love him despite his faults and imperfections. Afterall, isn't that what we are called by God to do? None of us are better than the other. We are all sinners in need of Grace.

Anyway, I digress. While I was praying, I looked up at his face and his eyes were open! And I could tell they weren't just open, but they were aware. I started talking to him and while he is nowhere near being able to carry on a conversation, he was able to ask for some water. We got him some water and he drank another 3/4 cup and finished nearly ALL the peaches I fed him. He continued to be aware and recognized Steve and Jenna (when she got back from the store). When we went to leave, I hugged him, kissed him and told him that I loved him. And he told me that he loved me too...which lets me know that he was really understanding. He smiled several times at all of us. I left feeling much better than when I arrived.

I talked with Bertie yesterday and she said he'd had a rough night and really rough morning. He was agitated, having a very difficult time breathing even while laying down and in some amount of pain. Last night, the update was much of the same except he wasn't nearly as agitated as before. Let me tell you, lung disease is not a pretty way to die. You basically suffocate to death but very slowly. It's definitely a cruel disease. So to all of you smokers out there, I beg you to kick the habit NOW. DO NOT make your family watch you slowly suffocate to death. And just because you think it won't happen to you doesn't mean it won't.

Off my soapbox now...

Thanks for your prayers and comments. I have had some ultra-sweet comments about memories of my mom and dad from friends and they bring such comfort to me. We still have no idea how long he will be with us, but I am enjoying every minute that I can.

Until later....

Blog Review: Night Watchman

This is the second fiction book that I've reviewed and I was equally impressed. I'll admit, it doesn't take much for me, but this one was super-suspenseful and I didn't know whodunit until the very last chapter or two.

Night Watchman is about a retired homicide detective, Ray Quinn, who lost his partner (and also the love of his life), Trisha, in a shoot-out which left him critically wounded. After his forced retirement, things spiral downward for him as he is left with only fractured pieces of what his life used to be. That is, until he stumbles upon a mystery that appears to be connected to the shooting that injured him and took the life of his partner. In this book, he sets out to solve the mystery and avenge Trisha's murder.

The book is written by Mark Mynheir. This is the first book of his that I've read, but I can assure you, I will be adding him to my "list".

More on Night Watchman:
Ray Quinn is a tough, quick-witted homicide detective in love with his partner, Trisha Willis. She gives Ray something to live for—something to hope in. Until a barrage of bullets leaves Trisha murdered and Ray crippled.

Struggling with his new physical disability and severe depression, Quinn turns to whiskey, scorn, and a job as a night watchman to numb the pain. But when a pastor and dancer are found dead in an apparent murder-suicide, the pastor’s sister approaches Quinn for help.

Reluctantly, Quinn takes the case and is plunged into the perilous Orlando. Soon he discovers that, not only was the pastor murdered, but the case may be linked to his and Trisha’s ambush. Torn between seeking revenge or responsibility, Quinn is thrust into the case of his life.

Author Mark Mynheir gives readers his most profound police thriller to date with The Night Watchman (first book in The Night Watchman Private Detective Agency Series). Readers of all ages will devour this gripping murder mystery that bristles with tension and intrigue. In a taut cop-style all his own, Mynheir delivers an inside look at the thoughts, feelings, fears, and challenges police officers experience while investigating violent crimes and the lost souls who commit them.

I highly recommend this book...and as always, you have the chance to win a copy from right here on my blog. I have 2 copies to give away, so leave me a comment below or send me an email to sandras_junk@charter.net by next Wednesday, June 3, 5pm central. I'll draw two lucky winners and even pay to have the book shipped to you if you are not local.

If you are too impatient to wait for the drawing, you can always purchase the book here. Good luck and enter NOW!