Here goes!

I am going to attempt to put a pic in my message. I have never done this before so it will be interesting. Well I see it has worked! These pics are of what was supposed to be a blizzard...in March!! This was nothing compared to the one in 1978 but for some reason the weather people seem to thing otherwise.

The picture out the back patio door shows how deep my backyard got and this was only one snowfall. The pic looking at my neighbors house is actually our street. To the right side of the pic is the field across the street. It is a huge field and in the fall after the harvest mice scurry across the streat to try to get in my garage! In the winter it just drifts into my yard and driveway. We live two houses from the nearest intersection and people are continually getting stuck in it using our drive to turn around!

This particular snow, the streets were never plowed until late morning and we were stuck here. The odd thing with this snow is that by noon the next day it was almost gone!!! Weird feeling but hey we are in March and it's almost Spring!

It's been a while

Alot has happened these last few days most of which is related to my job and due to privacy laws I can't discuss it. All I can really say is that on Tuesday my heart was full of joy and by Friday night I was devastated! I will know the first of the week if I can be joyous again. So..

It's onward and upward...Saturday Luke and Monica brought Nolan, Kate and Alan brought Eli and we all went to a church here is Springfield for an Easter Egg Hunt. They had 23,000 plastic eggs! Yes you are reading that correctly! They had two big patches just loaded with eggs. One for the older kids and one for the smaller toddler type kids. All of the eggs were empty. They gathered all they could hold in their baskets and then they took them around front of the church where they dumped them into 30 gal trash cans. Then a volunteer would take a scoup much like you scoup birdseed in, and they would scoup into another 30 gal trash can for candy and put it in the basket in place of the plastic eggs. Each child got pretty much the same amount of candy. There were a few "GOLDEN" eggs that held the name of an item that they could have as a bonus prize.

SpongeBob, Dora and the Easter Bunny were there doing photo ops and we got some great pictures. Eli was fine with them as long as they kept their distance.

They gave a ticket when you first got there and you could redeem it for a drink and a hotdog but it was sooooo cold that we just left for home. Then it was back to Cracker Barrel where Jim and I treated everyone to lunch. The boys were so much fun. Nolan who will be 2 next month and Eli is 19 months. Their little eyes just lit up when they saw those eggs!

Special Olympics Bowling Banquet

Last night I attended my 2nd bowling banquet for Special Olympics. Two of my clients, Kevin and Rae Lynn had bowled the season as did Julie who lives with me. Julie lost interest about half way through and it was a battle to get her to go but she did eventually end up coming back. They give each bowler a trophy with their highest score of the season on it and a wonderful meal! We had chicken breast with mashed red potatoes and green beans, roll/butter and cake for dessert. It was really quite tasty!

As the trophys were being awarded Julie tapped me and asked if she was getting one. She had no clue..it was great! I just looked at her and said "I don't know...you just have to see if your name is called." She stood up to go up and I had to grab her to sit back down. I was grinning to myself because I knew that she was getting one. Finally they called her name and she was so excited!!!

I watched with pride as 133 bowlers jumped for joy when their name was called and they got their trophy. I have come to know most of them through the bowling, track and field and the weekly mixers. These are the most precious people I know. As soon as they see you their faces light up and you feel like you are the most loved person on earth. Their hearts are so pure and their bodies are just so full of love for people.

Because I attended each week and helped in any way I could, such as writing down scores, removing people from the line up who didn't show that week or passing out banquet invitations, I was awarded a Special Olympics throw blanket. They called my name, I went up and when I turned around someone threw their arms around my neck and hugged me so tight! It was Kevin..he was so proud of me, that HIS staff was being honored and it just thrilled my heart. In a day when we have to literally fight for recognition for a job well done at work, or in life in general, Kevin was there to make me feel like a million bucks!

If you have never worked with the mentally or physically handicapped you should. There is NOTHING like it!! Now we are on to track and field starting Saturday. Kevin will be running and doing the softball toss and Julie will be fast walking and doing the soft ball toss. They get exercise and the field events garner ribbons. They have the different groups from around the state march in just like in the Olympics. Last year Kevin took 2nd twice and Julie got a 1st and 2nd!! I was so proud of them.

Snow and Eli

As hard as it is to believe, considering we couldn't even drive down our road yesterday due to receiving 16 inches of snow, the roads today are completely clear! Is this weather strange or not?? I'm just glad it has come and gone and next week it is going to be in the 50's. Of course it will all melt and then flood! LOL!!

Well, the doctor is keeping Eli in the hospital one more night. Kate was not thrilled but the doctor had a very good arguement. I mean other than the fact that Eli has RSV which is quite deadly in little children if not treated properly. She of course is worried about money and I fully understand but if she would have taken him home and he relapsed she would have been devastated. The doctor told her it was actually cheaper to let him stay another night because another ER visit would be about $3000 where a nights stay is only about $400. The main reason he wanted him to stay was to continue to give him breathing treatments and those cannot be given at home. At least not this kind.. So it looks like the little guy will be coming home tomorrow instead!

Eli

Well if fighting 16 inches of snow to get to work is not enough, I received a call from my daughter, and my grandson Eli 19 months was taken to the ER by Kate and Alan because he had developed this awful cough. Now Alan had been sick earlier, went to his doctor who told him it was a sinus infection and gave him an antibiotic. Two days later Eli is sick, goes to the doctor who says it is a sinus infection and that it will have to run it's course! Due to the 16 inches of snow, the blizzard conditions and the level three alert they have been in their home for two days and Eli starts with this awful cough and fever. Kate called me this afternoon about 5 PM and the snow had stopped for a while and the streets had finally been plowed so I told her she should take him to the ER just to be on the safe side. Well, he was tested positive for RSV and Croup! He was admitted for 23 hour observation which I told Katie was the best thing for him right now. He will get round the clock care, medication and treatments. I wanted to go up there but she said the streets in town have not been taken care of yet and with the lateness of the hour..midnight..she really didn't want me out and about. So I will reluctantly stay here until morning and then I am on my way out there!!

SNOW! Tons of snow!!

Well, you might know that the day after the RWblack birds came back it would snow, only this isn't just snow..this is SNOW!! It is real fine and as my FIL from Etowah, TN always said.."When it looks like meal, expect a great deal!" He is so right! We already have close to 4 inches on the ground and it is still coming! It is supposed to snow all night and into tomorrow up to 12 ". The only thing getting me through this is the fact that those birds are back and I KNOW that Spring is around the corner!..THey are already predicting 46 degrees for three days next week. Shoot, I can hang clothes out in that temperature! So, I cancelled my client this afternoon and for tomorrow morning because it drifts so bad out here and we are already on a Level 1 emergency. As soon as Julie gets off the bus I am going to crawl into bed under my super thick comforter and take me a good old fashioned nap!

On a lighter note!

The RED WINGED BLACK BIRDS are back!!! That can only mean one thing....Spring is right around the corner. Several years ago I was driving our road and I noticed them at a specific location. Then I started noticing that they returned each year and then I realized it was the signal that Spring was fast approaching. Most people would get excited when they say a Robin but those silly birds have no clue about the weather or they wouldn't come back so soon while it is still freezing. But the Red Winged Black Bird is my Gift from GOD comforting me with the knowledge that the new season will be here before I know it and I will once again be hanging my clothes out on the line to dry! Do you have an indicator as to when Spring starts where you live?

Tragedy

Tuesday night three kids that Annie went to school with were driving our street when an elderly woman in a Cadillac pulled out in front of them, clipping their car and sending them into a spin that slammed them into a retaining wall. Pat Jacobson was in the backseat, no seatbelt and the driver's seat broke slamming into him. Don't have all the details just yet but it appears God was gracious and he died instantly. The other two boys, Austin, the driver and CJ were treated and released. So sad..I can not even imagine what his parents are going through.

Annie will be 16 March 14th and she is so eager to drive and it is scaring me to death. I wasn't like that with Luke and Kate. I worried, of course, I'm a mom but Kate didn't even get her license until she was almost 18. I don't see the hurry. We are in the country and the roads are so winding and people treat it like a drag strip when they get in the open. This however was just a bad judgement call made by an elderly woman who is, I'm sure depressed and distraught over her mistake. I have to pray for all involved.

Annie is devastated. She became fast friends with this young man and they had just gone out to eat together on Monday. I have let her spend more than enough time with her friends. Let her go to the memorials and spend the night with Sarah, knowing her mother would be there if Annie needed someone but I find myself in an awkward position..Almost jealous...is that sad or what? But as a mother I feel like I should be with her and there for her and yet I know she needs to be with her friends. On one hand I feel left out and on the other I feel ridiculous for even thinking of myself. But that could have just as easily been my daughter and that is an extremely frightening thought! It doesn't help that she is my baby, my youngest.

Tomorrow night is the memorial service and I don't know if they will be having a viewing so the kids can have closure or if the casket will be closed. Either way..what do you say to the parents?
There are no words that would make a difference except that I am more than willing to pray for them. It's just such a helpless feeling. I love my daughter and just the mere thought of a loss takes me to my knees. And these folks are feeling it first hand. God give them strength.