A Summation of the Last Two Weeks

Proof that spring is trying to arrive

I know I've been quiet on here for a few weeks.  I've had so much to get caught up on since I got back from Michigan that I just haven't had the time to sit down and write anything out.  So, I thought I'd write up a brief synopsis on what I did in Michigan, things here at home and throw in a few pictures, just to keep those who care updated:

Update On My Dad

My dad is getting better, slowly.  He had help from a few of his family members during the week, but they have returned home.  He seems to be able to manage things on his own though, and I make sure to call him each day in case I might need to arrange for some help for him.  He has a long road to recovery, though.  To read about the week I spent with him at the hospital, see the last half of this entry.

Garden Is Finally Worked (squish, squish!)

I was able last Sunday, during a rare sunny and dry day, to get the garden beds worked and some things planted.  It was a great stress reliever to be outside in the sunshine, working the dirt and making a mess.  I got potatoes, onions and a row of lettuce planted.  I'm still working on the plants I started indoors, too.  If it would just warm up and quit raining every day, I just might get things growing.  My asparagus doesn't seem to be affected by the rain and cool temps, though--it's over a foot tall!  Check out a few pictures of our yard below: (I took these photos with my new camera!)

Same asparagus as in the last post

Yes, that shows 2" of water in the gauge

My new purchases--two mosquito plants (they smell like citronella)

Technically, it's a non-flowering scented geranium plant

Looks like some twitterpated tweets are trying to nest in our back porch light!

A Week At The Hospital
As many people know, I spent last week in the hospital with my dad, keeping him company after having surprise bypass surgery.  It was a long, stressful, emotional week, but he's finally starting to feel a bit better and is not in nearly as much pain as he was right after the surgery.  Most all of the tubes and wires are out now, and there are a few more issues that will be addressed before he will be discharged, but it should be sometime this week.  Thanks to everyone who prayed for him and/or me during this past week.  It was much needed and appreciated.  While this experience didn't yield the spiritual awakening that I'd hoped for in my dad, I think it did scare him quite a bit.  Time will tell whether or not this experience results in lifestyle changes that need to be made.  Below is an overview of each day's activities. 

Monday:

The heart catheter procedure was done.  My sister and I were surprised at how quickly he was in and out.  We found out that stints were not going to help, and that our dad's arteries were 100% blocked in three of the four that go to the heart.  The fourth had 80-90% blockage.  A bypass surgery was scheduled, and he was admitted into the hospital.  My dad developed a temporary form of Turret's syndrome and would randomly say bad words while the news sunk in.

Tuesday:

Bypass surgery was scheduled for 3 pm.  My sister went into work for a few hours and I stayed with my dad.  He found out that they would only be doing one bypass on the artery that pumps 60% of the heart's blood supply, because the other arteries were too damaged to be able to operate on.  We also found out that his heart was extremely weak, barely pumping enough blood through the body.  I was there alone for a while while surgery prep was done, so I made several phone calls.  Eventually, my sister and brother-in-law arrived, and we all passed the time together.  I've never seen my dad as worried and scared as he was right before they anesthetized him.  We spent about four hours playing cards and hangman, reading, and conversing while the operation took place somewhere in the hospital, and our dad came out of the surgery doing very well.  We left around 9 that night.

Wednesday:

My sister had to go into work again today, so I went to the ICU to see how things were going.  No one kicked me out, so I stayed until my dad dozed off.  He was in a lot of discomfort (and that's an understatement), so he asked for a lot of pain meds, which made him pretty tired.  I left, met my sister and mom for lunch, and returned to the ICU later in the afternoon. After finishing work, my sister and her husband joined me and we stayed until visiting hours ended.  We went to get some dinner together.

Thursday:

Dad was still in the ICU.  They were trying to move him to a regular room, but they didn't have one yet.  He had improved quite a bit, but was still in a lot of pain and discomfort.  I lost a few brain cells thanks to the Jerry Springer Show, and then we watched The Price is Right.  I think we watched that every morning while I was there.  I left to get lunch and visit my mom at the K of C hall where she volunteered with helping to put together a fish fry that they do every Friday for Lent, then went to get lunch.  When I returned to the hospital, my dad's ICU bed was empty, so I went up to the cardiac floor and found him in his own room, finally.  Several tubes and wires had been removed, and he was a bit more comfortable.  I stayed in the room with him until my sister and brother-in-law stopped in, and we went for dinner.  It was my last night in town, so we met my mom and stepdad for dinner.  I, my sister, and my brother-in-law stopped back at the hospital until visiting hours ended once again, and we all went to our homes.  It was the earliest night I had while I was there.

Friday:

It was time to go home.  I'd been up there since Sunday evening, and this had turned into a very long week.  I packed my car, said goodbye to my mom, who had been boarding me through the week, filled up the gas tank and headed to the hospital one last time.  I was hoping that my dad would be discharged that day or over the weekend, but I found out while there that he wouldn't be discharged until Monday or Tuesday.  They detected an irregular rhythm in his heartbeat and wanted to schedule another heart cath for Monday to see if a pacemaker/defibrillator would be needed.  That upset my dad.  I stayed there until around 11:30 am, when my dad said that I should go to beat running into some weather that was coming.  I obliged.  It was a long, lonely drive home, with my thoughts constantly turning back to the hospital and my dad.  I was emotionally and physically exhausted, and ready to be home with the one person on whom I depended most for support and comfort, while at the same time feeling guilty for leaving my sister and father.  There was nothing more I could do though, and I knew that my dad would have visitors over the weekend, and would have the help he needed from his sisters and mother when he was discharged.  I had served my purpose.

God was there, with me, the whole week I was up there.  I know that, and I depended on my faith in Christ to get me through.  It was not easy, though, and I felt very isolated the during my stay, as no one else in my family shares my faith.  Twice I tried to approach the subject with my father, and twice I was shot down.  I was also denied by my sister when I asked if she would pray with me.  Easy to feel isolated!  But I know that God was there with me, and He gave me strength to make it through the week. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 is a reminder that weakness when calling upon the Lord is not a bad thing: "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 


Update:  My father was discharged this past Tuesday.  The second heart cath was done the day before discharge and showed no irregular rhythm in the heart beat, and therefore no internal device was placed.  He is slowly improving a little each day.

Asparagus, Peppers, and Cookies, Oh My!

Asparagus

I was able, in the day or two last week without rain, to get the leaves off of the garden beds.  To my surprise, I found my first two asparagus spears peeking out of the dirt!  This picture is from a week ago, and since then, I have several spears popping up, and the spear in the picture is a good 6" tall or more.  I think they were so happy to be uncovered that they couldn't help themselves but reach for the sky.  I guess that if nothing else gets planted this year, I will still have some asparagus to munch on!

  

Peppers

I took advantage of a sale on sweet bell peppers at Meijer to stock up for our fajita nights (for my simple fajita recipe, click here).  I found the book in the background on clearance at Lowe's, and I used it to learn how to properly freeze fresh peppers.  I know that you can just throw chopped onions in the freezer and they will keep well, but I didn't know you could do basically the same thing with peppers.  I am finding the book quite helpful, and hope to learn all about preserving so that I will have fresh veggies and fruits all year long!

Cookies

I like to bake on rainy days.  There's something about the smell of freshly baked goods that just makes the house feel so warm and inviting on a gloomy day!  I really wanted some cookies, so I decided to try a recipe that I found on a friend's blog, Cake Mix Cookies.  It's a super-easy recipe, and boy were they good!  I've added the recipe to The Recipe Swap, feel free to check it out.  I promise, you won't be disappointed!

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

Come Again Another Day!

Mr. Bunny from last summer

Well, I still haven't been able to get my garden soil worked.  The ground is so saturated right now that there's nothing but mud around the garden beds.  It seems like we always get an abundance of rain in the early spring...then everything gradually dries out until the middle and end of the summer season is a drought.  It would be great if I could save up all of this rain and use it when the weather goes into the dry pattern!  Then I would be set, and wouldn't have to haul out the hose at all in the summer.  The rain has certainly greened things up, though.  It's nice to see green grass, hear all of the different varieties of birds singing, and see the buds on the tree branches just waiting to open up.  Spring is a great time of year!  And it leads to summer, another great time of the year!

My New Toy

Stock photo

I finally decided on a camera.  I went with the Nikon Coolpix S8100 (to see specs, click on the link), and I got it for a fair price through the  Best Buy website.  I'm still trying to figure out all of the different features and settings, which is a little tricky because the user's manual is all on CD and not in print form.  So far, the photos I've taken look clear and crisp, but that's just viewing them using the display screen on the back.  I will charge it and take photos with both my old HP digital camera and my new Nikon camera and compare.  Thus far I'm impressed, but I can't really give an opinion yet, since I haven't really used it.

Surgery Rescheduled

Well, my dad's heart cath was moved to this Monday, so I will be heading up to keep my sister company in the hospital waiting room.  Please pray that God would give him a wake-up call and present an opportunity to talk to him about having a relationship with the Lord, because unless my father brings a topic up, it's basically like talking to a very ornery brick wall.  Thanks!

Regardless of what we experience in life--sadness, disappointment, struggles, loss--it's so important to remember that God is in control.  Even the bad situations that we are presented with are used by God to shape us into the people that He wants us to become, in order to do His will.  When things don't go "our way", God is usually trying to get our attention and shape us into something He can use.  When we do things our way, that is usually the time that our situations will get way out of hand.  "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." -Colossians 2:6-7.  Give thanks to God for the life that He has blessed you with!

Little Projects

Looking For Something To Do?

The Meticulous Mr. Wooley

Within the past few years, I've taken up knitting and crocheting.  I don't claim to be an expert, or even proficient, at either hobby, but it is certainly a pleasant way to pass an evening while listening to my favorite television shows.  I did a lot of knitting and crocheting a few Christmases back to make gifts--mostly blankets, but I also made a few scarves, and I tried something that is so fun and easy to do called amigurumi.  This is, quite simply, making a cute little plush animal or toy.  I made a wool kitty cat out of the remains of a brown wool skein used to make a scarf for my husband (which sadly has gone missing).  I made the kitty cat and gave it to him, and he aptly named the little cat "Mr. Wooley".  Too cute!  I'd like to make more, and perhaps if I do get around to it I'll list them on the "for sale" page on this blog.  If you would like to see examples of what I'm describing, click here.  There are many other sites out there that offer free amigurumi patterns as well, but I find that these are great examples.  I have so many projects that I would like to start, and I just never seem to find or make time to do it.  Plus, I have a hard time starting something that takes a long time to finish, which is why I have so many started projects and few finished ones!  But that's where these patterns are good.  Depending on your level of skill, these cute little projects might only take two or three hours to finish.  Now, that's what I'm talking about!

The Civil War

Flags of Gettysburg

Some of you know that I recently blew through the documentary "The Civil War" by Ken Burns in three nights while my husband was away on business.  It's one of his favorite documentaries, so I don't know why it took this long for me to see it.  Of course, I didn't really have a strong interest in the Civil War until we took our trip to Gettysburg last fall (to view that blog entry, click here).  I have to say, I really liked the series.  (Side note: it will be airing on PBS starting April 3 at 8 pm in honor of the 150th anniversary of the start of the war).  While still heavily focusing on the slavery aspect of the war, it was very in-depth in portraying aspects of the war as seen from soldiers' and civilians' point-of-views.  There are a total of nine episodes, most running right around an hour in length (with the exception of the first episode), and each one is just as interesting as the one before.  I think that the person I enjoyed listening to most was author Shelby Foote, whose books we own but I have not yet read.  With a smooth, deep Southern drawl, he is shown in more interview segments than any other expert, and he lent a bit of humor to the documentary.  As it went on, I felt more and more like I was really understanding, and almost in a way, experiencing the battles for myself!  Very well done.  Another great aspect of the documentary was the wonderful soundtrack that accompanies the various segments.  This is a collection of common mid-1800s music that fit perfectly.  From the theme song "Ashoken Farewell" to "The Battle Hymn of the Republic", to "Lorena" and "Dixie", the songs feel familiar and comfortable regardless of whether you've heard them before or not.  I think I will have to add both the documentary and the soundtrack to my ever-growing list of things that I would like to buy someday.  Summary: If you are ever looking for something to watch one night, cue this one up in Netflix.  You won't be disappointed, and you might even learn something!

There was a common theme in the documentary that pointed to the country's belief in divine providence--both sides believed that God was on their side, and that their side was bound to win because of it.  Many in the North felt that God was with them because they wanted to abolish slavery, and the South believed that God would allow them to win the war because of the many victories they were able to enjoy at the beginning of the war.  Truthfully, God was with them all.  God allowed the war to happen, He allowed for the slavery, He allowed for the abolition of slavery, He allowed the states to become one entity, and He allowed us to slowly, over the course of the next 150 years, to give away our freedom, piece by piece, until we no longer remembered what true freedom really was and is: "¹⁹They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him" (2 Peter 2:19).  But there is freedom in Christ, as long as we accept His gift: "¹It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1).  We always have that freedom to look forward to, even when we are slaves to earthly things: material possessions, addictions, debtors, the list can go on and on.  Christ can set us all free when we least deserve it, if we will only let Him!  

Happy Spring!

Sweatin' to the Wii!

Stock photo

With the warmer weather that has set in (for now), I'm enjoying the benefits of being outdoors for a change.  I have been trying to make it a point to do the exercise DVDs that I bought to use with the Wii fitness board before work each morning, but one day last week when the temps outside climbed to almost 70, my husband invited me to join him for a walk around our neighborhood.  I really enjoy walking outside (and just being outside) when it is nice out, so of course I accepted!  It feels good to make it a point to get some exercise in each day.  I don't know if I've lost any weight (the scale scares me!), but I'm glad that I've found some motivation to try and take care of myself more.  We did a one and a half mile route through the neighborhood, with some inclines.  All in all, a nice workout on a beautiful day!  It makes me realize just how ready for spring I am.  It seems like it's been a loooooong winter!

Veggie Time!

My sprouts!

I need to get out and try to work the garden beds some.  It's been very wet these past weeks, so I haven't ventured out to see what it's like.  Usually, when we get heavy rains, the area around the beds becomes very saturated and muddy, and it takes a long time to dry out thanks to the clay soil that we have here.  We built raised beds to help with the drainage around the plants, but it still makes working out there pretty messy at times.  I want to get things going, though!  I have started my indoor plants, which are sprouting already.  It's such a great feeling to plant something and watch it grow...you feel like you've really accomplished something special.  For as long as I keep a garden, I hope I never lose the enjoyment of watching things grow!  Right now, I have tomatoes, celery, and pansies that have started to grow.  My peppers have not popped up yet, but they are supposed to take a bit longer to start.  I have a good feeling, though!

Summer Grilling

We were able to break out the grill for the first time this year.  Yum!  I don't think we ever got to use it last summer, due to the work schedule that my husband had then.  I had picked up some petite sirloins at the grocery store during my last trip, and with the weather as nice as it was last week, it sounded like a great idea to grill some steaks.  May I just say that my husband is the best griller I know?  It was like eating at Texas Roadhouse without the dancing and loud music.  And I'm not just being biased.  He's a good cook anyway, but he's really good with the grill.  I think that he should make up for last summer and grill all of the time this summer!

Technology....ptttthhhhhbbb.....

Well, it looks as though our desktop computer is out of commission for the time being.  The fan broke on the tower, and apparently it's not a good idea to run the computer without a fan (duh).  So we need to get it replaced, fixed, or my husband's personal preference, buy a new computer altogether.  He's been wanting a new one for a while anyway.  I don't know what we'll do, but I can't download photos from my digital camera onto the laptop I'm currently using (software compatability issues), so I won't be able to share any new pictures with you for a while, at least until something changes.  :(  Update: as of March 24, the computer seems to have mysteriously healed itself.  Weird...

Prayer Request

I found out last night that my father has to have a heart catheter done in a week and a half to explore possible blockages.  He is not saved, and does not really want to know anything about the Lord.  Please pray that the Lord might use this opportunity to open some doors for witnessing.  Thanks in advance!

^{Worry is normal for me.  I think that women tend to worry more than men, because we are more emotional than men (which is the way that God made us!).  It's normal to worry and wonder, especially when you don't know the outcome of something.  It's a human emotion.  If you find yourself an excessive worrier, like me, a good passage to remember is out of Matthew 6:
"}But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."  God has everything under control.  Even in the worst of circumstances, He has a reason and purpose for everything that happens.  We just rarely have the capacity to understand!

The New, The Mundane

Snow Gone For Good?

Can it be true?  I think it is, but it is still March!  There is none in the forecast for the week, though, so I'm cautiously optimistic.  It's nice to look out and see the ground again, and to be able to venture out of the house without all of my winter gear protecting me.  The weather today was beautiful, and promises to be even nicer tomorrow and Friday.  Oh Mr. Groundhog, could it be true??

Anniversary Trip

I didn't think that hubby and I would be going anywhere for our anniversary this year, but we have decided to make plans after all.  We are going to be heading up to the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village.  I've been there before, a long time ago, but hubby has never been.  I'm really looking forward to it!  We're both taking a week off and we'll spend two of those days there.  If you've never been there, or don't even know what I'm talking about, the museum and village are huge.  It'll take a day to go through each one.  The museum itself is home to many displays that range from the beginnings of the Ford company and the history of automobiles and aviation, to more current events like the car that Kennedy was assassinated in, as well as clothing, Civil War, and all sorts of other unique exhibits.  I would guess that it is similar to a small-scale Smithsonian museum, as far as artifacts go (although I've never been to the Smithsonian.  I'd love to go, though!).  Greenfield village is an outdoor history park.  Henry Ford actually started Greenfield Village, purchasing several of the buildings that now exist here.  All of the buildings are historic in some way--from Thomas Edison's home, and displays of several different light bulbs that he tried before creating the light bulb, to the Firestone Farm (of Firestone tires), to the Heinz home (duh, ketchup!), all the way back to the thatched-roof Cotswold Cottage from England that dates back to the mid-1600s (a great display of 17th century life), as well as a variety of historic homes and stores in between.  Some buildings have interpreters, but others are just open to walk through.  I really hope that my memory serves me correctly; it seems like when I revisit things and places from the past, they have changed too much, usually for the worse.  I'll be sure to write all about the trip after we get back.  But, I think that this will be very fun and enjoyable.  Besides, I'll be celebrating seven years of marriage to the man I love!  That will make it all worthwhile.

Cameras I'm Considering to Buy--Any Opinions?

Since we are planning a trip, I'm desperate to find a camera that I will love, and that will give me great pictures of what we see and do.  I've been researching cameras for a while, and just came across a Nikon Coolpix that I am very interested.  The only thing that doesn't interest me about this camera is the price--over $300.  They are releasing a lower-priced version this week, and it might not have as many bells and whistles, but that would probably be fine for me.  I love to take pictures, but I am amateur at best, and can't really justify spending that kind of money for a camera right now.  I would love it if you wanted to tell me what kind of camera you would recommend, or what digital cameras have worked best for you in the past.  I had a Nikon Coolpix when I was in college, and I liked it a lot, but it was very low-powered, right when digital cameras were coming onto the market and were very expensive.  The cameras I have been considering are below:
Nikon Coolpix s8100
Nikon Coolpix s6100
Canon Powershot SX200-is

I'm leaning towards one, but I would love input!

Marriage--Oh, The Things I Can't Tell

I will admit that I love being married.  I think it's the one thing I've always wanted in my life.  I've never been bent on a high-powered career, I've never felt the urge to raise children, but I always wanted to be married and have someone beside me who I loved more than anyone or anything else in life.  Sure, it's not for everyone, but it was absolutely for me!  I know seven years isn't long in the grand scheme of things (I'm shooting for, say, fifty or sixty years!), but it's been long enough to know that while it's a lot of work, it's also a lot of fun.  I have a built-in best friend right there all of the time!  There are so many stories I wish I could share, because they are so funny...like the first time I gave him a haircut (and my first time cutting hair ever!), who knew I was capable of giving a near-buzz cut with scissors??  Or that a purple giraffe balloon animal would become our mascot?  Or the time we drove to Naperville so that I could interview for a job--we ended up being part of one town's St. Patrick's Day parade (still don't know how) and ended up at a Days Inn that actually allowed you to check back out, and get your money back, within 15 minutes of checking in, which we did end up doing!  These things might seem mildly amusing to others, but to us they are great memories that we love to laugh about.  We have such fun together, but it's usually just little things that no one else would understand outside of our little world, population: 2, which makes the relationship all the more special.  I just want to say to my husband that you have been the greatest adventure I've ever embarked upon, and I am looking forward to every day together for the next fifty-three years ahead of us!  Praise the Lord for allowing me to meet my match :) !

^"11 See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. ¹² Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. ¹³ The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.”--Song of Solomon, 2:11-13.  This time of year is associated with love, youth, and newness.  The beauty of spring  beckons our senses and awakens us after a long winter's nap.  Solomon and his lover were deeply in love with each other, and wanted to take every chance they could to express that between themselves.  Very romantic!  Need I say more?  If you have been blessed with a spouse, show them every day just how much he or she means to you.  Just maybe don't compare each other to goats!