Friday, June 22, 2007

Friday, June 22, 2007

This morning allowed us family time with Kari and John before they left for Santa Cruz. All 4 of us went with them to Annie's in Orangevale and had brunch together. Just like dinner was the night before, this time with them was like gold to me. They bring warmth, love and happiness wherever they go and to whoever they see. We were so blessed to have them with us for dinner then brunch. Pray that God will grant them safe travels for the rest of their journeys on this trip.

It's evening time (actually, it's 11:19 PM) and about 2 hours ago, Annie had her first (and hopefully last) cornering and one on one with a smaller sized skunk.
Annie took the spray straight in the face; both eyes, nose and in her mouth but was still ready for round two until CC was able to get her away and into her crate.
The vets suggested a cocktail with hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and dawn detergent instead of the tomato paste,soup,juice of days gone by. The vet's concoction worked great, under the circumstances and I tied Annie to a trailer post in the front yard and then hosed her down so we could wash her. To say she was "unhappy" is an understatement, but the bath, though very cold, was very necessary.
Wildlife scoring versus Annie to date:
Squirrels: infinity to 0 (Annie will never catch them and they know it)
Rats: 0 to 1 (she ran it down and closed the deal.)
Skunks: 1 to 0
Raccoons: 0 to 0
Possums: 0 to 1 (Had we let Annie continue, she would have closed the deal.)
Birds: infinity to 0 (Annie will never catch them either and they also know it. She just likes to make them fly away.)

Proud dad:
I tried to go under the house today to move a Comcast cable from its current location to a preferred location. Some will suggest that it was stupid to try, but I won't know what I can do until I try. Anyway, Joshy was with me and wanted to watch me go under the house. After trying and realizing that I could not, I told him that couldn't do it and he looked under the house and promptly said "I think I can do it dad; do you want me to?"
End result? Da boy army crawled under the house using my headlamp and a mag light and pulled on the cable unsuccessfully, however he was MORE than successful in my eyes! I was and am so proud of him!

That's it for tonight.

Friday, June 22, 2007

Friday, June 22, 2007

…but I began writing on Tuesday, June 19, 2007…

Another probably brief written record again, though I got up earlier today to try and pull my sleeping habits back around, proper-like so I’m not willingly or not staying up late.
Missy has had bad dreams involving her being chased by scary people and things now for 3 nights and she comes to my side of the bed so as not to wake up mommy who has to get up at 4 AM. End result? Same result as when Joshy comes in after being asleep for a while and having a bad/scary dream…into bed with us until the fears pass or they fall asleep and then, if strength permits, I get up and have them get back into their own bed. Joshy weighs in around 50lbs and I can’t lift him as dead weight…I’ve NO CHANCE of lifting Missy at all.
I suspect that I will try a nap today to make up for the sleep I lost from last night’s lack of proper real estate for slumber.

Joshy’s room is completely painted now (thanks to CC) and he’s moved in! He’s spent the last two night in there with Missy camping on his floor, next to his bed but tonight (Friday) he will sleep solo in his room; gotta start sometime.

Before Joshy moving in, CC rented a carpet cleaner and went to town throughout the hallway, our room, Joshy’s room and the Main living room. We still need to clean Missy’s room, but it was destroyed with no carpet space to clean.

Madoli (Cookie), from the volunteer media tech crew, makes a living cleaning homes and had offered to come and help us, so this past Tuesday afternoon she came over and left an amazing trial of thorough cleanliness! She’s planning to come back next week and help some more as well. CC and I were both drop-jawed at her attention to detail while she worked; she more a home detailer than a “house cleaner”. She blessed us immeasurably. Wow.

Wednesday was another day of cleaning and sorting with tons of accomplishments

Yesterday was getting ready to leave for the afternoon during the morning and then packing an ice chest for a day trip and loading three bikes onto the back of the van and heading down to Lake Natomas by Negro bar where we spent a couple hours with me reading and watching CC and the kids wading in the water and walking from rock to rock, climbing around. The longer we stayed, the more the place became filled with teens and rock jumpers and others who made the decision for us as to whether or not we would stay any more.

We headed back to the house and shortly after got there, we were visited by Kari and John Lamprech! Kari and I have been friends like brother and sister since Jr. High days and while she was at Cal Poly, I would drive up from LA to hang out with her at her farm/barn apartment to clear my head and think which is where I met her then boyfriend then soon to be husband now for umpteen years. They’re awesome.
Have to go to PT. More later-

Just 6 kids total including

Just 6 kids total including our two so the stress level is minimal to some we've done before, though it's 100+ degrees...

It's Thursday and we are

It's Thursday and we are at my Aunt & Uncle's in Roseville having a pool party for Joshua's 8th birthday from last month..

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

I’ve let time go for quite some time now and feel badly that I’ve not kept up better on here, but the blessed news from this is that I’ve NOT been in the hospital or down sick during this absence, but have been living what I would term “near-normal” life. I’ve lost my bearings on really knowing what “normal” is, so I’m working from what I can feel comfortable with and each day hope/pray that I will have a good day and not relent to depression or pain.

We went down to the Bay Area this past Friday/Saturday for my nephew’s graduation from 8th grade. We didn’t have enough time with them but the time we had was really good. Congrats Erik! We also had the chance to check out a recording of him singing in a band he and his friends put together for a talent show, or similar and he fronted it as vocalist. I was very impressed. Very cool.

Slightly worthy of note; CC’s mom, Nana, moved out to an assisted living place near CC’s brother’s home last week. We’ve had her living with us since she was released from the hospital in the South Bay with little expectation she would live through the following next months and we are now into year number four. With her move, my parents came up and helped us with cleaning and stripping what will now be Joshua’s room. He’s excited but concerned at the prospect of having to sleep in a room himself. He doesn’t remember that he had that opportunity back when we moved up here for the first few months we were here.

In order to see if I could “right” my head and thought processes, I went and bought 3 bible studies which I then moved from location to location without opening for 3 or 4 weeks until a week and a half ago I began one by Max Lucado called managing your giants (a study of 1st Samuel; David and Goliath, etc.) and another one on Ruth and Esther who are folks from the Bible who Missy really wanted to learn about, so we began it together as well, but have only gotten into it one chapter so far. Maybe tomorrow…I bought another one on Ephesians but want to get through what I’ve started before I begin a third. Conquering my mind is far more the engagement than I was hoping it to be. Depression and negative thought take many forms in my head and it is a full time gig to battle the whole thing. My (little) brother in SoCal has offered to and has picked up the same Giants study and we hope to connect in such a way we can study it together. He blessed me deeply to offer to do the study with me; I know how insanely busy he is.

Both kids have shown an interest in an animal army book series…well, actually Missy has but Josh wants to know about what happens so since they have shown an interest in the fantasy stuff, I’ve sought out some D&D books similar to what I had used back in High school but have not gotten into it yet with them because I just haven’t felt right about it yet. I’m holding off until I feel totally alright with bringing the game to their attention, though I’m sure they’d enjoy the role playing and the mathematics is always involved from the beginning and that would be cool for them for school too.

Summer is here, the kids are out of school and I haven’t shaved my head now in several weeks, showing the gray hair and thinning top. I don’t know if I will keep it up, but when last I asked what CC wanted, she said to let it go…so…

My truck is back! TK and Lindy have blessed me and us beyond convenient wording. My dad is having the gaskets taken care of since he can’t get to them physically…another blessing we couldn’t manage without help. Lots of that STILL going around.

My back is aching so it’s time to stop typing and call it a day.
More soon.
Oh yeah, I heard from my cousin in North Carolina today via email and that just made my day! How cool. I’m looking forward to catching up with him now. Seriously cool.

Pray for rest, solid and uninterrupted sleep for both CC and me, among the rest of our usual prayer pleadings you’re used to reading on here.
peaceTuesday, June 12, 2007

I’ve let time go for quite some time now and feel badly that I’ve not kept up better on here, but the blessed news from this is that I’ve NOT been in the hospital or down sick during this absence, but have been living what I would term “near-normal” life. I’ve lost my bearings on really knowing what “normal” is, so I’m working from what I can feel comfortable with and each day hope/pray that I will have a good day and not relent to depression or pain.

We went down to the Bay Area this past Friday/Saturday for my nephew’s graduation from 8th grade. We didn’t have enough time with them but the time we had was really good. Congrats Erik! We also had the chance to check out a recording of him singing in a band he and his friends put together for a talent show, or similar and he fronted it as vocalist. I was very impressed. Very cool.

Slightly worthy of note; CC’s mom, Nana, moved out to an assisted living place near CC’s brother’s home last week. We’ve had her living with us since she was released from the hospital in the South Bay with little expectation she would live through the following next months and we are now into year number four. With her move, my parents came up and helped us with cleaning and stripping what will now be Joshua’s room. He’s excited but concerned at the prospect of having to sleep in a room himself. He doesn’t remember that he had that opportunity back when we moved up here for the first few months we were here.

In order to see if I could “right” my head and thought processes, I went and bought 3 bible studies which I then moved from location to location without opening for 3 or 4 weeks until a week and a half ago I began one by Max Lucado called managing your giants (a study of 1st Samuel; David and Goliath, etc.) and another one on Ruth and Esther who are folks from the Bible who Missy really wanted to learn about, so we began it together as well, but have only gotten into it one chapter so far. Maybe tomorrow…I bought another one on Ephesians but want to get through what I’ve started before I begin a third. Conquering my mind is far more the engagement than I was hoping it to be. Depression and negative thought take many forms in my head and it is a full time gig to battle the whole thing. My (little) brother in SoCal has offered to and has picked up the same Giants study and we hope to connect in such a way we can study it together. He blessed me deeply to offer to do the study with me; I know how insanely busy he is.

Both kids have shown an interest in an animal army book series…well, actually Missy has but Josh wants to know about what happens so since they have shown an interest in the fantasy stuff, I’ve sought out some D&D books similar to what I had used back in High school but have not gotten into it yet with them because I just haven’t felt right about it yet. I’m holding off until I feel totally alright with bringing the game to their attention, though I’m sure they’d enjoy the role playing and the mathematics is always involved from the beginning and that would be cool for them for school too.

Summer is here, the kids are out of school and I haven’t shaved my head now in several weeks, showing the gray hair and thinning top. I don’t know if I will keep it up, but when last I asked what CC wanted, she said to let it go…so…

My truck is back! TK and Lindy have blessed me and us beyond convenient wording. My dad is having the gaskets taken care of since he can’t get to them physically…another blessing we couldn’t manage without help. Lots of that STILL going around.

My back is aching so it’s time to stop typing and call it a day.
More soon.
Oh yeah, I heard from my cousin in North Carolina today via email and that just made my day! How cool. I’m looking forward to catching up with him now. Seriously cool.

Pray for rest, solid and uninterrupted sleep for both CC and me, among the rest of our usual prayer pleadings you’re used to reading on here.

peace

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Sunday, June 10, 2007

I've spend my whole week being active for the most part and pretty much walking without the use of the cane, though that has been used from time to time in the evening, depending.
I plan to write more today and regret that I have not stopped long enough to note a few of the monumental happenings here, needing noting.
I'm not in a hospital or down ill, praise God and we are doing alright as a family in this moment.
More to write a little later on during a rest for the day. It's 9:43 AM on Sunday...I'll be back...

Sunday, June 3, 2007

Sunday, June 3, 2007

Another brief entry, but this one is uplifting.
First and foremost, thanks to the relentless and diligent efforts of my aunt, we have received a check of assistance which will nearly cover one month's mortgage payments. This is a blessing nearly indescribable and something we had all but given up on, but my aunt and uncle didn't give up and thanks to them, we are able to cover mortgage and groceries this month!

Also, to Joe and Mary; No strings, I understand, but you have blessed us deeply and we will never forget your kindness and love for us. We miss you. I miss you.

I've managed all day without the cane and only had minor sweats and isolated mild spasms for the day...the best day of the past several.
Prayer at church was very directional and encouraging; CC and I walked down front together for prayer this morning as service ended. Also, we went to CC's brother's house for lunch and a birthday get together for CC and her mom; they both share today as their birthday.
From there, we drove back down into the valley to Arcade Baptist church in Arden where my buddy's band was playing tonight and we watched most of their gig before leaving for Chili's for dinner together, just the four of us.
It's been a blessed day and certainly better than previous.
Worthy of note is that last night brought leg pains/aches in my muscles which were unrelenting until the pain meds took effect. They wore off around 4AM and I took some more and was able to sleep until 7.
CC's mom moves into an assisted living place this week and Joshy will then have his own room, as will Missy; first time in nearly 4 years and before that, they only had their own rooms for a mere 6 months so they are excited, as are we.
Our most emergent prayers are to learn God's plan for us as it pertains to this home and house and if we may keep it or if He wants us to walk away (in one form or another) and go into a rental someplace.
My buddy Jared is spending the night here before heading back to the Bay Area and then on to the rest of the tour, so I need to get the room ready for him.
Praise God for a great and awesome day with my family.
peace