Granddaughter and Her New Puppy

Haelley has a new pet. (Isn't he cute?) He's an eight week old puggle. Haelley is sure changing. I am looking forward to my trip to Indiana in January. It will be fun to play with the girl (and see the new boy!) I told her we would make cookies together. Doesn't that sound like fun?

The Week

John is going to Canada tomorrow for a couple of days. Nancy was so sad tonight and asked me if I was too. I told her I wasn't sad but would miss him. He has functioned in high gear with very little sleep on weekdays since starting his 2nd job. I'm hoping this business trip will be a little vacation of sorts. Maybe he'll get to sleep eight hours at night.

Right now we don't have any medical appointments this week. That is rare and has been for over a year now. Weeks without even one appointment just don't come very often. The last time we potentially had one, something happened and we didn't after all. I'm hoping that we can actually accomplish it this week. (I will be calling tomorrow to schedule Joseph and Jared's extractions. If they have openings this week, I'm likely going to protect our little break and put it off another week or two.)

We moved Jason out of our room and into Nancy's on Saturday. His nap schedule wasn't meshing with John's. Since sleep has been scarce for John during the week I wanted to remedy that glitch. The first two nights went well, but nap time today did not. Hopefully this week will take us through the transition and on to smooth sailing.

A couple of times now there has been a sign affixed to a light post down the street. It reads, "grag sale." It makes me laugh because I really, really wonder if it has been generated by a non-English speaking person who simply spelled what they heard us English speaking people say for "garage."

That makes me think of a thought I had earlier. I have some pet peeves that bother me. (No that wasn't redundant. It bothers me that they are pet peeves of mine, but they do so grate on me.) "Probably" isn't "prob'ly" and especially not "prolly." "Supposedly" isn't "supposably" or "sposably" either. There is no such word, "nother," as in "That's a whole nother matter completely." It is "other." "Good" modifies nouns only and "well" verbs. (Though I do have to admit that I frequently answer "How are you?" with "Good." It grates on my nerves then too.) Female dogs lose their reproducibility when they are "spayed" not "spaded." And "pneumonia" is the respiratory illness, while "ammonia" is the cleaner. Perhaps these things shouldn't bother me so much. It doesn't really matter, I guess. (You know, I think my mom is to blame. She's picky about correct pronunciation too. So, Mom, you're guilty of hindering my ability to forgive such foibles=) Oh, and I know that I probably bug others too at times with inconsequential faux pas. I guess we just need to laugh (but not at each other;-)

I hope your week is grand!

Nancy

This is an old picture - probably a year ago or so - but I found it tonight and thought it was pretty fun.

Stacey

Stacey now has power too! Last I knew the town in which she lives was under a water boil advisory, but at least she can now boil water=)

Chick fil A and Jason

Traditions often start accidentally. Such is the case with Joshua and Jason's ritual. Joshua frequently brings home chicken strips, waffle fries and barbecue sauce from work. There was a first time when he shared with Jason, but they pretty regularly do it now. It has become a tradition.

Jason especially loves the sauce. One night I gave him some french fries and an open single serving container of Chick fil A barbecue sauce. He dipped a fry then licked it, over and over again until the fry was soggy. He then set the soggy one aside and moved on to another.

Sept. 17, 2008

The article in the Corydon Democrat today.

More about the Storm in the Ohio Valley

The storm that rattled southern Indiana and northern Kentucky is being called a dry hurricane. Apparently, it's a very unusual occurrence. Typically, a hurricane diminishes after making landfall, as Hurricane Ike did. However, as it moved northeast it regained strength (the unusual part) and was creating sustained winds of 70+ mph and gusts up to 105 mph. The midwest is prone to tornadoes, but they follow a path. The hurricane covered a much larger area than a tornado typically does. That is the reason for the widespread devastation in the area. It effected everyone, unlike a tornado, which is much more erratic in its targets. It certainly has been interesting.

JW now has power too. Stacey does not, as of this afternoon. Apparently gas is in short supply. Prices, last I knew, were $4.20 - $4.50/gal. One water company was threatening to shut off the water because the pumps were too quickly draining the generators which have taken over during the power outage. While things are improving, there is much yet to regain and clean up.

The article about which I posted last night has a photo gallery link to which more photos have been added. A friend, who lives near Corydon, posted videos of the storm on her blog. Amazing. The wind, without rain, was tremendous. I think the only time I've seen that kind of wind is in media coverage of hurricanes. (Maybe that's because this *was* a hurricane;-)

Article

Here is an article with pictures from the Corydon Democrat. This is the county seat of the county in which our kids live.

Good News - Joseph

I posted a while back about Joseph's new glasses. I was very, very hopeful that they would be the answer to his reading deficiency. When he was evaluated last winter his reading level was end of 2nd grade (in the middle his 4th grade year) Tonight a new evaluation revealed a reading level at the middle to end of 4th grade! That means that he is reading nearly at grade level!! I was so excited - so grateful - so relieved. Thank God, Who has been asked many times to bring Joseph to this point!

The Interruption

As John was getting ready to nap before going to work his second job, Nancy announced that she had inserted a BB into her right nostril. We've dealt with this before. Just blow. Or not.

In trying to retrieve the BB herself she had pushed out of our view. John gave up his nap, and I abruptly put school on hold to take her to the doctor for foreign body removal. Thankfully, since it wasn't in there long before the doctor got to it, it was easily removed. In fact, when it was all over Nancy said that it tickled coming out. I am grateful that it was easy.

Update

Michael and Elizabeth have power already! The power in the city closest to where they live came back on in the middle of the night. Thank God! All the food in their refrigerator was spoiled, but their house and property was completely unscathed. Apparently, other houses near them had significant damage. A wonderful thing about their good situation is the ability they now have to help others. There are still many without power and likely will be for some time.

Article about Indiana Storm

This seems to be the lonely article about the devastation in Kentuckiana. As the article notes it's the worst they've seen in 30 years with 60% of LG&E (greater Louisville) customers without power.
http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=9006205&nav=menu31_2

Drawing a Blank

I don't have any school work to correct tonight (which is what I've been doing with my evenings) so I thought I'd blog. I'm kind of in the mood to do that. However, I cannot think of a single thing to say that sounds interesting. I think I might just ramble a bit. You can read if you want - especially if you're ready for a nap. If you need to be energized you'll have to look elsewhere.

This past week was, overall, a good one. We got all of our school work done before Friday night rolled around. It was wonderful not to have any leftovers for the weekend. I planned a rigorous school year, so we have been spending much more time completing everything. Though this is what I wanted - definitely what I wanted - it is nice to do something else over the weekend.

Southern Indiana got pounded with high winds today. All of our children there - and little grandbaby - are without power. It is not anticipated that it will be back on sooner than one week because of the widespread damage. I am so grateful that they are all ok! I have tried and tried to find news/pictures online about the situation there, but I think it is certainly eclipsed by the exponentially harder hit areas of the country. I do wish I could do something to help them. It's a helpless feeling to have your children in need and be powerless to help. It is comforting to know, though, that God will be present in their lives, bringing good things.

Joseph and Jared get their space maintainers this week. Joseph will have one on the bottom and Jared both top and bottom. After those are in place I can schedule their teeth extractions with the dentist. I am anxious to get them over with (though they are not=). If all goes normally, they shouldn't need to see any oral doctor for five months after extraction. Hopefully the adult teeth that are now prevented from erupting will come in quickly after making a place for them.

I am sleepy. It's 11:00 o'clock, and I am so sleepy that my eyes want to close. That is unusual for me. I may go to bed and succumb. That will make the sound of the alarm at 5:30 tomorrow a bit easier to take.

Hope you have a great week!

Mom to Anyone

My blog identity was chosen because I have long had a dream to create a home where kids, in particular, feel welcome. So many children today have little parent time. They go home to empty houses and are comforted by the TV or iPod when they are sick or down. I think that is so sad. Kids need to talk, to feel wanted and needed, to know there is access to help if they need it. That said, some of the neighbor kids have been calling me "Mom." It means the world to me. I want them to be truly at home here and to find a place where they are valued. I do come to love them, to worry about them, and to hope for them.

Yesterday, one of them really let us down. He brought words and ideas into the minds of our children that I didn't want there. I cried. I just really grieved - still am. What to do? He needs direction as much as any child does, and I like him. He's a good natured, smart kid with enough tough stuff to be respectable. I don't want to shun him, but I do not want to risk our children either. John is going to talk to him. He will explain what the boundaries around our children are and that the consequences of violating them will be expulsion from our family circle, in which we've allowed him to walk.

If you know me very well, you know I don't like having neighbors. I fall in love with their kids and then have to figure out how to manage all the baggage that comes with loving them. It's much simpler to just never have or know neighbors. But it violates one of my life's goals to look the other way when there are children who need a bit of mothering.

Boys

I only had time to skim this article, but it and many others are speaking (I think largely unheard) about an issue that I am passionate about. This author has it right, I think, and other thinkers do too, but very few people are willing to change what is working for them, regardless of what is happening to our boys.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/157898/page/1

Prayer

I just read this prayer - a favorite of mine. It is mine this morning for those of you who love the Lord and live to serve Him.

Colossians 1:12

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thank to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

PRAISE GOD!!!!!!!!!

Have you ever had your eyes fill with tears over what looks to everyone else like a small thing? I did today. In the scope of things, this was a little thing. However, God answered a fervent prayer of mine (and perhaps of yours), and that is never, ever small.

I took Nancy to the doctor today, and HER EARS WERE BOTH NORMAL!!!!!!!!! Instantly, I had tears and was thanking God. It was such a relief to know that, for now, we don't have to have another specialist appointment (and hour's drive away) or another surgery added to the queue. I know ear tubes are minor, but we have had (and do have) so many, many medical things that the news today was a HUGE blessing to me! Humbly, sincerely, deeply (and with tears welling up again) 'PRAISE GOD!'

JW's Car

Last year JW bought the car you will see here. He had a performance engine put in it, and recently put a new exhaust on it. You can see and hear that here. He sent picture and video message to John and I on our phones so we could see (and hear) what he'd had done. I was so glad that he shared and wanted to pass it on to you=) Oh, and I got to drive it in May. Well, that is I backed it out of its parking spot and moved it to an adjacent one. It was enough to say I'd driven it=)