MOM and POP

Adam did a photo shoot of Mom and Pop several months ago. I have seen the pics and they are so good, but this is my fav. I have just gotten them on my computer today and wanted to share this one.

God has blessed me with the most wonderful parents. They serve as an example to many on how to live, how to suffer, how to serve, how to play, and mostly, how to love. The parents God chose for me are one of the greatest gifts in my life! I am blessed.

SMILE

POOL BATH...MAUI STYLE

Don and I worked on hanging some more pics yesterday (FUN CITY !!!), and we finally got around to the pool bath.

This pic is just to show you the sink and faucet. It is an actual hammered copper bucket fitted with a drain. We picked a faucet that resembled an old pump.


This is a better picture of the vanity/sink stand. It is very distressed wood. I actually designed this piece. I drew it out on a paper napkin and gave it to our cabinet man. I think he did a great job. The soap actually sits on the bow of the sailboat!


In this pic you can see the colorful mirror. Notice there are vintage postcards from Hawaii stuck in the corners. You can also see the shower reflected in the mirror...complete with a flip/flop towel! There is also soap, shampoo and lotion made in Maui...so you can leave the bathroom with that fresh, island feel.:)


And this is the work we did today. It shouldn't have taken more than 10 minutes...in actuality, it was more like 1 hour and 10 minutes! However, it looks great...to us. We both LOVE Maui, and the feeling we get from being on that beautiful island. Even though we did not start off planning to bring the island feel in here...it just seemed to work out that way. And, when we found this cool art when we were there in October, we just had to have them! They are actually painted on 3 boards joined in the back. And, no, the towels hanging out do not indicate anyone has been swimming yet...I just like the color it gives the room. Still looking for a sea grass mat for the floor.


So, if you can't make it over to Maui this year...come for a swim, and then clean up in the Island Bath. ALOHA!

MUSIC IN THE WIND...AGAIN

I meant to show this pic with the other one yesterday. This is a silly little wind chime that I bought several years ago at a craft show. I know that it is kinda tacky, but it makes me smile...(what does that say about me,huh?) It is not a particularly beautiful sound like my bigger chimes, but it is pleasing in its own way. More of a tinkling sound. Scooter always walks to that tree each time he 'tours' the yard. I wonder if it reminds him of our other house? Can you guess what kind of bottles these are? Think of them puffed up and brown in color?

Does anyone remember those wind chimes that were everywhere when we were younger? They were sort of Asian looking. They were very thin glass strips hung in a circle...sometimes 1 tier, sometimes 2 tiers. They were cheap and very fragile. I have not seen any in years, but I would love to find some. They, if memory serves me correctly, had such a delicate sound that I loved.

I also LOVE bamboo chimes...because it is such a natural sound...very reed-like. And then there are the capiz shell type that you can find so easily at the beach.

Thanks for listening to me reminisce tonight. I think one of the loveliest gifts God gives to us is music. And, so much the better, when you hear in the great outdoors!
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***the bottles are the little bottles of syrup you get at Cracker Barrel when you have their pancakes or hot, buttered biscuits...YUMMY! They melt them, and add colors. Neat, huh?***

MUSIC IN THE WIND

I love wind chimes. Especially the ones that are tuned. It is a beautiful sound to hear the differing tones as the wind playfully blows them around. Never the same tune twice...it's all up to the wind's fancy.

This is a set of chimes that my Mom and Pop gave to me as a housewarming gift. They hang proudly from a tree in the backyard where I will enjoy their song each time I step into the backyard. Music to watch a dog by ...or, in summer, to while away some serious time in the pool.

KID TALK

Yesterday, I had the chance to talk with Nathan again. He was the cute 3 yr old with the 'snuffies' from a few posts back. And, James had some info for me, too.

Mrs.O...Hi, Nathan, how are your 'snuffies'?

Nathan...They're gone now.

Mrs. O...That's great! So, I guess you are feeling all better now.

Nathan...Well, no...now I have some coughs.

Mrs.O...Oh, my, that's not good. Where did you get the coughs?

Nathan...From the leaf.

Mrs. O...Oh, so are you allergic to leaves, too?

Nathan...No. It was the leaf in Grandma's car. It was a bad leaf.

Mrs. O... How do you know it was a bad leaf?

Nathan...Because it gave me the coughs.

Mrs. O...I didn't know that leaves could give you coughs.

Nathan...Just if you eat them.

Mrs.O...Oh, so did you eat the leaf? I bet that wasn't good.

Nathan...I know it wasn't good...it gave me the coughs!

Mrs. O...Nathan, I don't think it is a very good idea to eat leaves. Do you do that very often?

Nathan...Only the ones in Grandma's car. But, not any more. They have coughs in them.

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James...Mrs. Owens, I have a little brother. Her name is Emma.

Mrs. O...That is wonderful, James. I bet you are a wonderful big brother. Do you help take care of her?

James...Yes. Me and Daddy do.

Mrs. O...What can you do for your sister?

James...Well, she wets her panties.

Mrs.O...Yes, little sisters do that a lot. They have to learn to go to the potty.

James... She poops in her panties, too.

Mrs.O... I know, they do that a lot, too. That's why they need a family to help take care of them.

James...I don't help with that poop stuff.

Mrs.O...I can understand that.

James...But, my daddy does. He just takes those panties off and throws them in the garbage can!
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LESSONS LEARNED:

1. Be careful when you eat new things. You could have an unpleasant reaction.

2. Big brothers and sisters are an important part of family life.

3. When the 'unpleasant' things present themselves, get rid of them quickly. No use letting them hang around!

UPDATE

Thank-you friends, for all the prayers and sweet words of encouragement you sent to me concerning Mom. It means everything to know others are holding you up.

Mom is home from the hospital, but not a whole lot better off. She is not in as severe pain as she was. But, it comes back every time she eats or drinks. Now here is what has me in a wad...The doc, gastroenterologist, that performed the EGD, the light down the throat to see the stomach, told me he found no ulcers, so there was nothing to biopsy. Another doc, her GP, told her the same thing. Then GP came back and said there WAS an ulcer and they biopsied it. When she was discharged, the nurse told my sister the same thing...ulcer was there and biopsied. They did change her meds around and put her on something new. So, what to believe?

I am getting on the phone today and getting a discharge report from the hospital and a report from Doc #1, who actually did the procedure. Maybe I can find out what is going on. I do not want someone messing around with my Mom and her not getting the proper care. She has another doc visit today with a urologist for totally separate issues. Bless her heart.

It really burns me up that there is so much incompetency in the medical field. And, I am a nurse myself. Why is there not more cohesive care? I tell you this, no one should be in a hospital anywhere without an advocate looking out for them. There needs to be someone who is responsible for keeping up with reports from each doctor involved...someone to keep it all straight. Her nursing care was excellent while there, but all this other is just not acceptable. And that is my rant for the day!

Thanks again for caring for my sweet mother and praying in her behalf.

PRAYERS, PLEASE

I have been at the hospital since yesterday morning with Mom. On Sunday, she had a very bad night, with diarrhea and vomiting, and severe upper abdominal pain. This continued on into the morning and through the day yesterday. They have the pain a little better under control now, but the tests are showing nothing. Mom is one tough cookie, and she doesn't complain unless the pain is very bad. Please pray that the tests will show up something that can be treated easily. My sister is with her tonight...we just do not feel comfortable leaving her alone.

I think one of the greatest blessings of friendship is the fact that we can call on one another when needed. We can boldly ask for prayer, knowing the request will be honored. So, thank you, friends, for being there when I need a little extra prayer power. You're the best!

Tonja

VALENTINE MENAGERIE

HAVE A GREAT VALENTINE'S DAY !

HANG IT ON THE WALL

FINALLY...I got Don to hang some art on my walls. My dear husband is a perfectionist...and very OCD about some things. Hanging pictures is one of them. 3 pieces of art on the walls...6 hours spent. Not even kidding. He measures and measures and measures....then writes it down and measures again. Then he begins mapping out the placement on the walls and checks it out from every angle. Proceeds to measure again, then and only then do we mark it with a pencil. Deciding which type of hanger to use takes another half hour, as you must weight the benefits of each and decide which will leave the smallest hole in his new, fabulously painted wall. His current fav is the Monkey Hook...and we have a supply of those ready and waiting! According to him, we do not need to put ANYTHING on the walls. It has only taken a month and a half to bring him around to my way of thinking. ANYWAY...
below is a window cover from the same temple in Mongolia that the doors used for my table came from. This is over 300 years old. I love the simple graphic lines of it against the wall. (The wall is a pale green...not grey like it looks).

I balanced precariously on a stool, holding the camera over my head to get this next picture for you. This is at the top.

I got a little bored and went to the computer for a while...big mistake. He hung the clock without my input. Too high! But, he won't agree to lower it, because of the hole . This may be a project I have to work in while he is away. There IS a way to cover up that hole and make another one...I just know it. And, I'll find it, too.



This is the one that took 3 hours. But to be fair, he did have to hang the light above it, too.


I hung this quilt from Hawaii in my back foyer. It took less than 10 minutes. It is straight, you cannot see the nails. I'm just saying...



Ian came to help him with my beautiful distressed mirror. They worked on it for over an hour. There is not a way to hang it that they can figure out. It weighs over 100 pounds and they are afraid the wall won't support it or something like that. I'm gonna have to find someone who knows a little more about it. Bummer! Oh, that is a towel at the top...put there by DH to keep the wall clean.

You can't see me in my pajamas, in the mirror, can you? Good! 'Cause THAT is NOT a pretty picture!

THIS IS A HARD BOOK !

This is one book that I am having lots of trouble getting through! I joined a week or so ago. And before I knew it, there were friends coming from everywhere. That part I love. But, then I started getting 'gifts', and 'luck' and questions about things I still am not sure of. Someone wants me to be their 'top girl', and there are quizzes and notes and I am just in a constant state of bewilderment!

I will learn about this. I will learn about the little round cute buttons, and I'll learn what a 'poke' is. I really will. Just please don't be offended and think I am ignoring you. Some brains take a little longer to get into the groove of new technology than others. I promise I'll join your group, or send you a 'poke' or something equally as clever just as soon as I learn how.

HARD TO UNDERSTAND

This internet has changed the world as I knew it. People who I will never meet know my stories. And I know theirs. People in all walks of life, whose paths would never cross mine, cross my mind all through the day. Because I have read about them. Because I feel empathy with them. Because I am praying for them. But, we are not friends, not even acquaintances, really...just blog writers sharing innermost thoughts and cares. Just hoping someone reads and understands what is on our hearts and minds.



I have read, as I am sure some of you have, of a little girl named Cora. She was diagnosed with neuroblastoma a few weeks back and has been fighting for her life since. She went to live with Jesus yesterday. I make no presumption to know this family other than reading their story on their blog. I found their story by reading of it from another blog. You know how we go 'surfing' when something catches our interest. Anytime I read of a child with cancer, I immediately go back to 1978 when I found out my own child was himself a victim of this same horrible form of childhood cancer. His diagnosis came out of the blue, just as it did for this sweet girl. But, his story had a much happier ending. Adam is now 34, married, and a son to be proud of. His story is on my sidebar, if you are interested.



There is also a sweet girl from my hometown who is fighting another form of cancer in Birmingham. Her parents attend to her and watch and wait and pray. Her name is Hannah Grace.



And the hospitals are full of those I don't know. When one goes home, another one takes his place. And it goes on and on and on.



I do not know why God allows children to suffer. I do not know why any child has to have cancer. I think He should do away with it all together. I think that would be a fine idea...and I do not know why He doesn't think that would be a fine idea, too. It is at times like these that it is easy to 'lose faith' and wonder if God is really watching? Does He see what is happening to the little ones? Why doesn't He heal them all?



I can not answer all the questions. I can only attest to what I know. And this I know. He does care. He loves the 'little ones' even more than their families. His heart breaks when He sees them hurting. His heart breaks when he sees a Mom caressing a tiny head, gently brushing the hair back. His heart breaks when He sees a Daddy standing watch, wanting to 'go to battle' for his child...but not knowing who to fight.



But, we see through our eyes and not His. We feel with our hearts and not His. We understand with our minds, not His. He is good...all the time. His ways are perfect...all the time.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55: 8-9

May God give all these hurting parents comfort and peace. May He hold them closely in His arms. May they find strength in knowing their sweet girl is in the arms of her Creator and has never been in a safer more wonderful place.

SOLITAIRE

When I was a little girl, I used to spend lots of time with my daddy. We both had an affinity for books, and he encouraged me, for which I am forever grateful. But, he also liked to play a card game from time to time, and I would find myself watching with much interest. Time after time, he would bring all the cards together in a stack, then slowly lay out the grid. Then he would begin counting 1-2-3, and turn the cards over. He'd count and move them ever so slightly, then turn them over to see what came up. Sometimes, he would take that card and put it on one in the grid. And, sometimes, the dance of the cards would begin...red 8 on black 9...black 5 on red 6...then move a whole section of cards over to the black jack...then move them again when the red queen would show her face. And proudly watching over all were those fancy Aces...sitting there in all their glory just waiting to be covered over with a whole suite.

I loved to watch him play. His hands would move so quickly, and it seemed he didn't even spare a moment thinking about the moves, he just KNEW what to do next. The cards and the game seemed almost magical. I knew there were more losses than wins...but how exciting it was when all the cards in the deck got used up! I loved to see all those cards go into their rightful places!

And, then...one day, he taught me to play! It took me a while, things with numbers tend to scare me. But, this...this I could master. This I could play. And this I could win...sometimes. I didn't win very much to start with. But, the thing about solitaire is...if you don't pay attention to ALL the cards, you just may miss a move that would have won you a game. Now, for a person with ADD, it was not always easy to stay focused long enough to really play correctly. But, the more I played...the better I played. And something else began to become clear to me.

If I tried, I COULD block out everything else and just concentrate on the game. I could rein in that part of the brain that wanted to run wildly through the backyard and swing from the trees. I could actually REST. I could play the game and think only of the game. This was a real biggie for me. At that time, people did not talk about ADD or ADHD. You just 'were not paying attention' or 'not applying yourself' or 'had your head in the clouds'. And, for some one who would try so hard to 'get it'...it was very frustrating. I think for many of us who lived in those days, we thought we were just not the 'smart kids'...oh we did OK and had lots of fun and lots of friends...we were just not the high achievers.

But, when I played this game...it was just ME. I was playing against the GAME. Time after time, the GAME would win, but once in a while...I WOULD WIN! And that felt good!

Now, I have the game on my Palm Pilot. It stays by my bed. Every night, I play a few games before I go to sleep. It quiets my thoughts, it forces me to think on one thing, it lets me rest.

However, the game on a computer or a hand held is just not quite as satisfying as feeling those cards between your fingers. Counting 1-2-3, and turning the stack over. And hearing the slap the cards make as you move them around to a better place.

This works for me. Thanks, Pop!

KID TALK

IN A CLASS OF 3 YEAR OLDS...

Nathan..."Mrs. Owens, I'm feeling all 'snuffy' today."

Mrs. O...."I understand, Nathan, I'm feeling 'snuffy' today, too. Why do you think you are feeling like that?"

Nathan..."I'm allergic."

Mrs. O..."Oh, really? What are you allergic to?"

Nathan..."Boxes. Boxes and whales."

Mrs. O..."Hmmmm. Well, have you been around any boxes or whales lately?"

Nathan..."No, just the dolphins."

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IN A CLASS OF 4 YEAR OLDS...

Mrs. Owens..."Boys and girls, if you could be an animal...which one would you like to be?

Samuel..........."A pig."

Mrs.O............."Why would you like to be a pig, my friend?"

Samuel..........."So, I could dance in the mud!"

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And this 'heart-felt' expression of nature was brought in by a 5 YEAR OLD to her teacher, Mom found it in her bag of potatoes...she said there was another one, too!

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LESSONS LEARNED TODAY:

1. BE HEALTH WISE! Know what you are allergic to...however strange it may be!

2. MAKE THE BEST OF A BAD SITUATION! If you find yourself 'stuck in the mud...DANCE!

3. EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED! Little surprises that make us smile are hiding in the most mundane of places. JUST LOOK!

PRINCESS SOPHIE

This is my little friend, Sophie. You may remember me telling you about my friend Sherrie going to China to adopt her. Well, she is coming to preschool now! She has had surgery, and is feeling well, and quickly becoming a typical 3 year old. My friend Sherrie has been so good for her, and has been God led in her mothering of this sweet child.



We are all so happy to have her in our lives. And we thank God for giving this sweet child a chance to be healthy, happy and loved in America.

It amazes me how quickly bonds can form in children. This child came here knowing no one, knowing no language, and sick. And in a short time, she is well, she is speaking English, and understanding more than she speaks, she is bonded to this wonderful family. And what I think is the most amazing thing of all is the fact that she feel confident enough in the love and security of her family, that she is willing to go places without them. In her little mind, she KNOWS this is her forever family, and she is free now to learn of life, to enjoy new experiences, to grow and become the wonderful girl God planned her to be...knowing all the while that she has a family waiting there to lift her up if she falls, to wipe a tear if she cries, and give her hugs for no reason at all.

Sherrie, thank you for sharing her with us. We are blessed by you both!

# 1 SONG

I have so many blogs on my favorites page that it's ridiculous. I only go and read them when I am resting or bored. Since THE CRUD still has me feeling yucky, that is what I have been doing today. I found this link on one of those blogs.

Follow this link and it will tell you the #1 song on the day you were born, or the day you graduated high school or any day you'd like! How fun is that? Mine for the day I was born was "Viya Con Dios."

Go here and see what yours is and come back and tell me. Unless you already know. Well, you couldn't know about the one when you were born, but you may remember the #1 when you graduated...I didn't. But, it was "Brown Sugar" by the Rolling Stones.

FOLDING MAGAZINES

I enjoy magazines. I like to thumb through them quickly. Then I like to go back and read the articles that are of interest. I will go through one more time and pull out pictures or articles that I want to keep. So, a magazine would likely stay around my house 3 or 4 months before discarding. If I discarded it. Some I kept.

When we began planning this move, I knew that the magazines I had saved must be one of the first things to go. I have trouble throwing things away...but especially if I think there is something in there I might need to see again. I did not say this was sane...it just 'is'.

And, so, I began throwing away magazines. I just picked up armloads and dumped them in the dumpster without looking at what was in my hands. I knew if I ever looked...I would spend too much time looking...one more time...just in case I missed something the first time.

I began letting all my subscriptions run out, and all did before we moved. But from the look of the publishing world...this may not be a problem too much longer. Magazines are folding quicker than you can say "what's on the cover?" These are already gone : Blueprint, Cottage Living, O at Home, Mary Englebriet's Home Companion, Home, Domino, and the saddest for me...Country Home. These are books that have provided me many hours of substance to peruse...planning, and choosing what I liked and didn't. I have read Country Home and Home Companion for as long as I can remember. It saddens me to see them go.

But, they are not the only ones. These are going or gone: PC Magazine, Discover, Teen, Gourmet, National Geographic Traveler, EGM (a gaming magazine Alex likes). And from the looks of things, many more will follow.

Teen Magazine? I remember this from MY teens. They always had those great pullout pictures of the latest hearthrob. Gourmet? I thought this was a very well established foodie magazine...not that I would know. We have been receiving PC Magazine at my house since the boys were young. It's about computers...I have never read one. I know what works what on my computer and that's all I need to know. Too much knowledge clutters up the brain, ya know.

I had made many good resolutions to follow when we moved to the Creek House. One of these was not to buy so many mags and not to KEEP the ones I bought. Oh, how I would LOVE to be able to go back through all those Country Home and Home Companion that are in the dumpster just one more time. So many of the decorating tips and ideas there were timeless.

It makes me wonder just what will be left when all this is over? And, what will Barnes and Noble put on all those periodical racks in the front of the store?

I DID IT

I recieved this meme from my friend, Mrs. Breezy, at Scattered Fruits. The point is to go through and 'make bold' the ones you have done.


Started your own blog Slept under the stars Played in a band Visited Hawaii Given more than you can afford to charity Been to Disneyland/world Climbed a mountain Held a praying mantis Sang a solo Bungee jumped Visited Paris Watched a lightning storm at sea Taught yourself an art from scratch Adopted a child Had food poisoning Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty Seen the Mona Lisa in France Slept on an overnight train Had a pillow fight Hitchhiked Taken a sick day when you’re not ill Built a snow fort Held a lamb Gone skinny dipping Been to a Broadway show in NY Ran a Marathon Been in three states at once Ridden in a gondola in Venice Seen a total eclipse Watched a sunrise or sunset Hit a home run Been on a Cruise Seen Niagra Falls in Person Visited the birthplace of your Ancestors Seen an Amish community Taught yourself a new language Had enough money to be truly satisfied Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person Gone rock climbing Seen Michelangelo’s David Sung karaoke Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant Visited Africa Walked on a beach by moonlight Been transported in an ambulance Had your portrait painted Gone deep sea fishing Seen the Sistine Chapel in person Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris Gone scuba diving or snorkeling Kissed in the rain Played in the mud Been to Grace Kelley’s grave in Monaco Gone to a drive-in theater Been in a movie Visited the Great Wall of China Started a business Taken a martial arts class Swam in the Mediterranean Sea Visited Russia Served at a soup kitchen Sold Girl Scout cookies Gone whale watching Gotten flowers for no reason Donated blood, platelets or plasma Gone sky diving Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp Bounced a check Saved a favorite childhood toy Visited the Lincoln Memorial Eaten Caviar Pieced a quilt Stood in Times Square Toured the Everglades Been fired from a job Seen the Changing of the Guards in London Broken a bone Been on a speeding motorcycle Seen the Grand Canyon in person Published a book Visited the Vatican Bought a brand new car Walked in Jerusalem Had your picture in the newspaper Read the entire Bible Visited the White House Killed and prepared my own meat Had chickenpox Saved someone’s life Sat on a jury Met someone famous Joined a book club Lost a loved one Had a baby Seen the Alamo in person Swam in the Great Salt Lake Been involved in a law suit Owned a cell phone Been stung by a bee

This is fun, and I tag all my "B" Club buddies! Have fun!

SHE WAS 'SUPER' !

Do you remember when Jennifer Hudson was on American Idol? I remember that when she was voted off, I knew a big mistake had been made. From the first, I liked her humble demeanor, and her unassuming spirit. I remember Simon saying that he did not like what she was wearing. She told him that a friend had made the outfit for her, and she liked it!

Tonight's appearance marks the first time she has sung in public since the awful murders of her mother, brother and nephew. I was anxious to hear how she would do on this song...it is one of the hardest to perform. Her voice had the smoothness that we have come to expect from her. Those hard high notes? She hit them perfectly! And, she looked beautiful, too. Way to go!

SLEEP TIGHT

These are the coolest beds ever. No, I do not have one, but I'd like to. However, I do not have an extra $15,000 at the moment. But, if I did, I would sure be tempted. I believe that I could find some better looking linens for them also.