Pictures

This is Billy looking handsome and solemn on Christmas Eve:

Another picture of my handsome Billy:

Here is Shelly posing and looking pretty and showing off those pearly whites:

My son Doug and his wife Rose (I don't know what that face was about):

Here's my daughter Bambi and Shelly telling her all about her new shoes:

Shelly and Bambi posing for the camera:

Doug looking really tall:

Miscellaneous Stuff

Wow! 2 days since Christmas! Where did it go? It seems like we waited forever for it to get here and then before we knew it, it was gone. Oh well, we probably won't turn around hardly when it will be Christmas next year. We went to Doug's mom's house on Christmas Eve and opened gifts down there. It was great to see everyone having such a good time. 2 of my grandchildren, Billy and Shelly were there. Rebecca was with her dad and Nicholas was sick, so his dad kept him at home. I sure did miss them. Bambi was there and then so was "little" Doug (all 6 feet of him) and his wife Rose. Doug and Rose couldn't stay long because they had another party to go to. Bambi stayed and I really enjoyed her being there. Believe it or not, there was no trouble this year. Nearly every year an argument breaks out. After that we came home and watched tv and went to bed. The next morning I got up and started cooking. Had my mom and Doug's mom here for lunch. As soon as I got through eating, I excused myself and went upstairs and went to bed. I was hoping our census at work would be low and I would get to stay at home. But we had a full house and I had to work. I'm off today but tomorrow go back for 3 more 12 hours shifts. I'll be off a week after that. YEAH!!! I went to Walmart yesterday after work and spent $170! I couldn't believe it. Everything was 1/2 price and I went wild. I've never spent that much before. But I have alot of new stuff for Christmas next year. I bought Bambi a new tree for next year. I hope she likes it, if she doesn't I don't know what I'll do with 2 trees. But I had a good time spending money (I always love to spend money). Bambi got me and Doug a gift card to Ruby Tuesday's. I can't wait to use it. I love their food. I think their prices are outrageous, but hey, this one's gonna be free.
Oh well, I guess I'd better go to bed now. I could keep on talking forever this morning. I don't know what got me so wound up. I'll post some pictures of my grand babies and kids. Then maybe when I get up, I'll write some more. Who knows? Have a wonderful day! Can't wait til Friday when I go to Sandy's house and bring in the New Year with Doug, Mary, Bucky, Sandy and Robert. And Mary and Sandy's mom and dad if they're there. Okay, I'll shut up now.

Christmas Eve

Tomorrow is Christmas! Oh boy! Can't hardly wait to eat all that good food. Gifts that Doug and I give to each other don't get wrapped and are usually given before Christmas. Tonight we will be going to my mother in law's to open presents. Can't wait to see all the kids open their gifts. My oldest granddaughter won't be there because she is with her dad tonight. She will be coming home tomorrow and opening her gifts at home and the gifts from everyone else then. Iam scheduled to work tomorrow so I'll be sleeping the biggest part of the day. Hopefully alot of the patients will get to go home and I will be cancelled. But if I'm not, oh well, someone needs to take care of sick people. One day, it may be me needing someone to take care of me. Tomorrow we will be having honey baked ham, sweet potatoe casserole, green beans, rolls,cranberry sauce, and whatever else I decide to fix. Oh and of course, dressing. Yummy! Makes me want to cook it and eat it now. I'm finally getting a dvd burner for Christmas. I told Doug I wanted one, he didn't get it so I ordered it. Then I told him he had ordered my Christmas present. It was shipped yesterday. So it should be getting here in about a week. I hope everyone has a very merry Christmas. My love goes out to everyone I know. Let's all remember the true meaning of Christmas. And let's be especially thoughtful and send up an extra prayer for our soldiers over seas and their families. Pray especially for the families who have lost loved ones in this war. I know their Christmas will be empty without them.

Lost Lives

15 more lives lost in Iraq. What a senseless war! Why didn't we just kill Hussien and get out of there? I am all for helping them and helping them rebuild a government, but hey! Is it worth all the lives of the moms, dads, sons, and daughters that have been lost? I am just so thankful that my son came home safely. I hope he never has to go back. He's out of service but who knows when they'll call him back? My heart goes out to all the families of the soldiers whose lives have been snuffed out by these heartless thugs. Send one of the mothers over there. Let her have her way with the pigs that killed her child. That could change the situation. Just turn an angry mother lose on them. I think we should stay in Afghanastan because of what they did to us, and I know we should have taken out Hussein, but let's get Bin Laden now. Then bring him to me. I'd see that he got what he deserves. But then, Hell is going to be worse than anything I could ever do. But I sure would like to have my turn with him.

Christmas Is Almost Here

9 days til Christmas! I can't hardly wait!! To see the looks on my grandchildren's faces when they open their gifts will be great. Okay, so I won't actually see them on Christmas as they stay at their own homes on that day. Which is a good thing so they won't be taken away from their new things. But I do get to see them on Christmas Eve at the get together at my mother in law's. I have to work on Christmas day, but still plan to cook a HUGE meal. Me, Doug, my mom will be eating together that day. Doug's mom will also be invited. She doesn't drive much so Doug will probably be going to her house to pick her up and bring her here. I always invite my sister but I know she won't come. We're not in her "circle". Don't get me wrong, I love her and all, she just never comes around or calls. She has her own little world and her own little friends. If my name was Shirley, I'd see her alot more. But I will NOT let her put a damper on my excitement on Christmas. I will eat til I pop, I will sleep til I wake up to go to work, and I will celebrate the true meaning of Christmas with the ones I love. I would love to have my kids here, but they have families of their own now. I have been invited to Sandy's house on New Years Eve. I have never been to a New Years Eve party. This will be quite exciting for me as well. My daughter will get mad because I'm not keeping her kids that night, but hey, I've got a life too. I just wish she wouldn't get mad so easy. Oh well, I'd better get in bed. It was a LONG night at work last night.

Happy Thankgiving

Today is Thanksgiving and I had a wonderful day with my mother and Doug and his family, my son and his family. We all ate til I thought I would pop. Then on the way home, we stopped at KMart to see what we could find. Not much, maybe tomorrow. My friend Bucky had been working on my laptop and he said to meet him there as he was taking Mary's grandparents home. It was good to see them. They are such nice people. Anyway, Bucky brought my laptop to me. I was going to watch a movie on it and I couldn't get the sound to work. Bucky was online and he told me how to un-mute everything. Meanwhile, I forgot I had turned the volume up all the way on everything. So I was sitting in the living room with headphones on so I could be with Doug and watch my movie while he watched football. When I pushed play on the movie, I about fell out of the chair. Doug thought I was having a heart attack because it scared me so bad I screamed. Bucky asked if I got a picture of it, I didn't. But I re-enacted the scene and Doug made a picture. So I will post it as soon as I get it downloaded. Right now I'm using my laptop having the time of my life. I haven't turned it off since I got it home. I think I'm gonna wear it out in one day. Anyway, the day is almost over and before we know it Christmas will be here. I can't wait, even though I'm supposed to work. I love this time of year. It's a time for family and friends to think about what Christmas is really all about. It's about the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. I have been one of the most guilty of commercializing Christmas. But as I get older, I realize that we should focus on the true meaning of Christmas. I hope all who read this takes it to heart and thinks about it. Where would we be if Christ hadn't been born? What if He hadn't died for us? We would be hell-bound, that's for sure. Oh well, I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season. To all my friends and family, I love you all. Part of Thanksgiving is being thankful for all the people we love. And I think I have better friends now than I ever have. "As for me and my house: We Will Serve The Lord." Happy Holidays Everybody!

Helen

Last night we had the services for our dear Helen Williams. Mrs McKinney got a pass to leave the hospital again and she attended the service. Helen had on a beautiful pink dress. Found out it was the dress she had bought when she was chosen as Woman Of the Year in Iowa. She worked as an RN for 40 years in a veterans hospital. She was and still is loved by all and we will miss her terribly. But she is happier now than she has ever been. Our tears are selfish ones because she is much better off than we are. The family is a very close knit family and we need to keep them in our prayers. Not just today but the days to come. When Mrs. McKinney goes home from the hospital, she will be going home to an empty house. That will be very hard for her. She will remain in my prayers as will the rest of her family. Helen, I know you don't know or care anything about this now, but we love you so much!

Update On Family Tragedy

Today I learned that Helen Williams, who was involved in the car wreck on Alcoa Hwy, also had sustained a broken collarbone, broken ribs, and the broken leg was broken in two places. The doctor said she would never walk again. Her sister, Mrs. McKinney, got a pass to leave the hospital to go see her. Along with her other two sisters, the decision was made to remove life support. Helen died within 5 minutes. She will be missed by many. She always sat in church when I had my grandchildren and smiled at them the whole time. They will be receiving friends on Tuesday and then her body will be taken to Iowa on Wednesday for burial beside her husband. Mrs. McKinney has to have some pretty extensive abdominal surgery and won't be able to attend the funeral. We will all be praying for her. The upside to this is that Helen is in a better place and can walk, doesn't have to have dialysis anymore, and is in perfect health. That wreck has now claimed the lives of two people. Even though the streets were wet and the other lady's car hydroplaned, we should all be aware of how dangerous wet streets can be. Everyone should be extra cautious when it's raining, and slow down. Me included. When God gets ready to take us, he will. But no use in making things rough for ourselves while we're here. Helen, I know you're in Heaven with our Lord and Saviour. We will all miss you and we will always love you.

My Friend Sandy

Okay, for some reason I couldn't get the pictures of Sandy and her husband Robert to show up on the other post. So I will dedicate a whole post to her. I met Sandy through her sister, Mary, who is a dear friend of mine. She is a loving person and is married to Robert, also a loving person. They make a great couple. Anyway, Sandy, Robert and Mary's daughter, Tori came to my house yesterday to pick up a puppy. She taught me how to put pictures on my blog and some other stuff too. She didn't know it at the time, but she has created a monster. My husband complains about my being on the computer all the time, now he won't be able to pry me away from it. So Sandy, don't be surprised if you get called up as a wittness in divorce court. LOL Anyway, here are the only two pictures I have of Sandy and Robert. Today is Sandy's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SANDY!!! I hope you have a wonderful day! I love you!!

IT'S SANDY'S BIRTHDAY!!!

Happy Birthday To You
Happyyyyy Birthdayyyyyy Tooooooo Youuuuuuuuu
Happy Birthday Dear Sandyyyyyyyyyy
HHHHaaaappppyyyy BBBBiiiirrrrtttthhhhddddaaaayyyyy TTTToooo YYYYoooouuuu!!!!
Hope you have a wonderful day. You're a very special person and I love you.

I Can Add Photos Now

These are my friends Mary and Bucky Carver. Today is Mary's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARY!!!
These are the nutty people I work with. They are so much fun!
This is my good friend Clarence. He is a Respiratory therapist at the hospital. He is married to Penny on another floor.
This is my daughter, Bambi and son-in-law, Jeff. Bambi is the mother of 2 of my wonderful grandchildren, Rebecca and Nicholas.
This is my granddaughter Rebecca. She was my first grandchild and she'll always hold a special place in my heart. She can come live with me anytime.
This is my grandson, Nicholas. Ain't he cute? He is Rebecca's brother and also a Nana's boy.
This is my son, Doug and my daughter-in-law, Rose, on vacation in Chicago. They are the parents of my other 2 wonderful grandchildren, Billy and Shelly.
This is my grandson, Billy at Halloween, 2004. I guess he was a pirate. He'd be a good one. He's Papaw's boy.
This is my granddaughter, Shelly. She is Billy's sister and hopefully a MeMe's girl. Time will tell.
These are all my wonderful grandchildren together. It was a real job getting them all to sit still long enough to make this picture.
This my niece Kelli and her new husband, Jeremy. They are the proud parents of Justin. Kelli is the daughter of my sister, Gerry.
This is my great nephew Justin. He is the proud son of Kelli and Jeremy.
This is my sister, Gerry, at Kelli's wedding. She sure was proud.
This is me with my wonderful husband, Doug.Hard to believe we've been married almost 34 years.Wow! Long time. It hasn't all been a bed of roses, but I'm glad we stuck it out.

This is my wonderful mother, Rowena, aka: Granny. She has been my best friend for 50 years. She is the most important woman in the world to me and I don't know what I would have done without her all these years. Mama, words can't express how much I love you.

IT'S MARY'S BIRTHDAY

Happy birthday to youuuuuu
Happy birthday to youuuuuu
Happy birrrttttthhhhhday Dear Mmmmmaaaaarrrryyyy!
Happyyyyyyyyy Birthdayyyyyyyyy Toooooooooooo Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!!!
May this be the best birthday ever! I love you!

Family Tragedy

Today was tragic for a family that goes to my church. Two elderly sisters. Ms McKinney and Helen Williams live together. Ms. McKinney takes care of Helen, who is in poor health and is on dialysis. Today at the dialysis clinic, the Ms. McKinney started having some problems and was taken to St. Mary's Hospital. When it was time for Helen's dialysis to be over, two of Ms. McKinney's granddaughters left St. Mary's to take Helen home in Maryville. The timing just wasn't right. On Alcoa Hwy, a car crossed over and hit them head on. One girl suffered a broken ankle. The driver of the other car was killed instantly. Helen suffered a broken leg, ruptured spleen and is bleeding into her brain. No one knows if she will make it or not. Ms. McKinney only knows about the broken leg. Hopefully, we will hear more soon. The family is keeping the rest from her for the present. These two ladies are very dear to me and the whole church family. We pray for Helen, Ms. McKinney, and the family of the other driver. Our wonderful pastor was on his way to Kentucky to preach, but when he heard the news, he turned around and came back. He takes care of his flock. He is a true man of God and can always be counted on.
There was also a fatality on I 40 Eastbound this morning. The interstate was shut completely down going eastbound. I saw the tractor-trailer, and I don't see how anyone could've survived in that or being hit by it. We all need to remember the families of the people who have died. Pray for their strength and that this will somehow open their eyes and they will see the Truth if they haven't yet.
November 12, 2004

KNOX COUNTY (WATE) -- A crash in a construction zone on Alcoa Highway Friday left one person dead and two more injured.

The crash occurred in the southbound lanes of the highway near the Knox - Blount County line.

Crews had to close both southbound lanes and one northbound lane while they worked at the scene.

Officers detoured southbound traffic onto Gov. John Sevier Highway and Old Knoxville Highway.

Flu Season

Well, flu season is here and I've got a cold. I hope it doesn't turn into the flu. I didn't get a shot this year. I could have, but decided with the vaccine shortage, I'd forego mine to let someone in a higher risk category have it. I have friends coming up this weekend and I don't want to make them sick. I'm keeping a safe distance from my mother as she hasn't had a shot yet and I don't want to expose her. As far as my husband goes, well that's kinda hard to do, living in the same house and all. I worked last night and was miserable all night. I think most of it was because of the NyQuil I took yesterday morning before I went to bed. I was so sleepy all night that I kept seeing double. And that's not good when you're using needles and drawing blood, etc. I've got to work day shift tomorrow so I'll be going to bed early tonight. Like in a few minutes. To all who read this, take care of yourselves and your loved ones. I love you all and don't want you getting sick.

Love

It was very sad that a TSD student was in a wreck and killed the other day. Her name is Viola Wooten and she was only 16 years old. We don't think of things like that happening, especially on school functions, but they do and we all need to be aware of it and tell our children daily how much we love them. We never know when the last conversation could be. I talk to my grown children almost every day and I never fail to tell them I love them. They may think that it's just habit, but I really mean it. My mother lives next door to me, and I still see her every day and talk to her several times each day. I tell her I love her each time I see her or talk to her. My husband and I can't even count how many times a day we tell each other "I love you". Remember each day to tell the people you love how you feel. Not just family, but friends as well.

Picture Perfect World

This is a song by one of my favorite groups, Avalon. They are Contemporary Christian artists. The words are beautiful and make so much sense.

Picture Perfect World

We circle winter, spring and summer to fall
Spend a lifetime trying to make some sense of it all
Trip over questions raised by fallen men
As if there are solutions for the state we’re in

In a picture perfect world there would be no crime
In a picture perfect world we’d be free
In a picture perfect world we’d be color blind
But it’s all right I know we’ll be cared for
All right a place is prepared for
All right cause sooner or later we’ll be
In the picture perfect world

Another summer. autumn, winter and spring
We grow accustomed to the nature of things
Do we chase the questions we can’t figure out
And overlook what life is all about

In a picture perfect world there would be no pain
In a picture perfect world we’d believe
In a picture perfect world love is not in vain
But it’s all right I know we’ll be cared for
All right a place is prepared for
All right cause sooner or later we’ll be
In the picture perfect world.

We are here but a moment, then the moment’s gone
So why spend precious time we can’t afford
We have only one purpose before the curtain’s drawn
With all our lives, for the cause of Christ
We must glorify the Lord!

In the picture perfect world there would be no pain
In the picture perfect world we’ll be free
In the picture perfect world love is not in vain
But it’s all right I know we’ll be cared for
All right a place is prepared for
All right cause sooner or later we’ll be
In the picture perfect world.

SideKick

I got my SideKick pager today!! I'm so excited! It took it a long time to activate, but since I'm out of the coverage area, it said try again. So it's registering (again) now and I'll just leave it alone until I get up tomorrow. Notice I didn't say in the morning. I can't wait to use it. I'm meeting Mary tomorrow to pick up my Home Interior stuff and I hope it's working by then. Oh well, they say patience is a virtue, I guess I'll try to be virtuous.

Down In The River To Pray

Here's a song that I wanted my mom to learn to sing in church with me. But she says she's too hoarse to sing.

DOWN IN THE RIVER TO PRAY


As I went down in the river to pray
Studyin’ about that good old way
And who shall wear a starry crown
Good Lord show me the way.

Oh sisters let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
Oh sisters let’s go down
Down in the river to pray.

As I went down in the river to pray
Studyin’ about that good old way
And who shall wear the robe and crown
Good Lord show me the way.

Oh brothers let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
Come on brothers lets go down
Down in the river to pray.

As I went down in the river to pray
Studyin’ about that good old way
And who shall wear a starry crown
Good Lord show me the way.

Oh fathers let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
Oh fathers let’s go down
Down in the river to pray.



As I went down in the river to pray
Studyin’ about that good old way
And who shall wear the robe and crown
Good Lord, show me the way.

Oh mothers let’s go down
Come on down, don’t you wanna come down?
Come on mothers let’s go down
Down in the river to pray.

As I went down in the river to pray
Studyin’ about that good old way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord, show me the way.

Oh sinners, let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
Oh sinners let’s go down
Down in the river to pray.

As I went down in the river to pray
Studyin’ about that good old way
And who shall wear the robe and crown
Good Lord, show me the way.

For Fredy

Fredy was my first love. He was from Peru and visiting his brother who was going to UT. It broke my heart when he had to go back home to attend school there. We exchanged letters for awhile (that was the days before computers), but we eventually drifted apart. This song has always reminded me of him and I just wish he could see it. Just to know how much he meant to me.

DEDICATED TO THE ONE I LOVE
by : The Mama's and Papa's

While I'm far away from you my baby
I know it's hard for you my baby
Because it's hard for me my baby
And the darkest hour is just before dawn

Each night before you go to bed my baby
Whisper a little prayer for me my baby
And tell all the stars above
This is dedicated to the one I love
(love can never be exactly like we want it to be)

I could be satisfied knowing you love me
(and there's one thing I want you to do
especially for me)
And it's something that everybody needs

While I'm far away from you my baby
Whisper a little prayer for me my baby
Because it's hard for me my baby
And the darkest hour is just before dawn

If there's one thing I want you to do especially for me
Then it's something that everybody needs

Each night before you go to bed my baby
Whisper a little prayer for me my baby
And tell all the stars above
This is dedicated to the one I love
This is dedicated to the one I love
This is dedicated to the one I love
This is dedicated to the one I love

May the Best Man Win!

I love the way my friend Mary always ends her comments on political issues. She always says "May the best man win". Even though we may have different polital preferences, we still respect each others views. And I encourage anyone to get out and vote regardless of who they vote for. Sometimes, there doesn't seem to be a best man to win. Heck, I voted for Ross Perot once because I didn't think there was anyone worth voting for. I just wish everybody could be treated equal and the poor people would be given a break. The sad thing is, this world is not going to get any better. It will only get worse until our Lord comes back. And then it will get alot worse for alot of people. But oh how I look forward to that day! I hope to take as many people to Heaven with me as I can. I can't save anybody but I sure do want to lead them to the Lord. I wonder how many people would vote for Jesus if he were running for president? I know that would be a time that Mary and I would both vote for the same candidate. Anyway, today is election day and even though Jesus isn't running, I did vote. If you don't vote, you can't have the fun of complaining about who's in office. You could, but you really wouldn't have a right to. Anyway, my viewpoint on voting. I don't know where the religious stuff came from. I just felt like putting it down. I've been thinking alot about that lately. I'm not in a hurry to leave the ones I love, But if He wanted to take me this minute, I wouldn't complain nor would I stop to tell people goodbye. Ain't God good????

Sorry, I Never Knew You

Here are the words to the accompainiment Cd I bought. I hope to have it learned so I can sing it in church soon.
Last night as I lay sleeping a dream came to me
I dreamed about the end of time, about eternity
I saw a million sinners fall on their knees to pray
The Lord He sadly shook His head and this I heard Him say

Sorry I never knew you. Depart from me forever more
Sorry I never knew you. Go and serve the one that you have served before.

I thought the time had fully come that I must stand my trial
I told the Lord that I had been a Christian all the while
But through His book He took a look and sadly shook His head
Then placed me over on His left and this I heard Him say

Sorry I never knew you, I find no record of your birth
Sorry I never knew you, go and serve the one that you served down on earth

There were my husband and children, I heard their loving voice
They must have been so happy, oh how they did rejoice
With robes of white around them, their faces all aglow
My little girl looked up at me and this I heard her say

Mommy we can't go with you. We must stay here on this beautiful shore
Sorry for we still love you. But you cannot be our Mommy anymore.

Now when I had awakened the tears were in my eyes
And looking all around me and there to my surprise
There were my loving babies and I knew I'd had a dream
So then upon my knees I knelt and for mercy I did scream

Father who art in Heaven I know that You gave Your only Son
Father please forgive me for I want to be ready when You come.

Sick Kids and Tired Grandma

Wow! I got my daughter's kids, Rebecca, 8, and Nicholas, 2, Friday and all day Saturday. Friday night I thought Rebecca felt awfully hot so I took her temp. It was 103.3. I gave her tylenol and the next morning it was normal. Then close to time to take her home, it started going back up. She didn't get to go trick or treating that night. But her mom treated her to a cookout of hotdags and s'mores and rented the Garfield movie for her. She was better Sunday morning, so she got to go trick or treating Sunday night. Nicholas got smart when he realized people were putting candy in his bag. When it started getting heavy, his mom asked him if he wanted her or his dad to carry it, and he said "NO!! MINE!!!" Such a smart boy! When they got back home though, Rebecca's temp was 102. After they went home Saturday, my son and daughter-in-law brought over their 2 kids, Billy, 2, and Shelly, 8 mos. Billy is Papaw's boy while Shelly is MeMe's girl. Shelly had a runny nose and a cough which she had medicine for. Sunday she started running a fever. It was 100.1 under her arm which made it 101.1 really. I could tell she felt bad because she was real fussy, wanting to be held all the time and only slept in 15 minute intervals. And I can't stand to see babies cry so you know what I was doing all day Sunday. I was holding her. She's supposed to go back to the dr. today, so we'll see what he says. He'll probably say the same thing he always says: "It's a viral infection". He never even draws blood. My poor babies! Billy was crying when they left. He hates to leave his Papaw.
Oh! I asked my friend Mary if she knew where I could get a sidekick pager cheap and she referred me to a website. I ordered one and I can't wait til it gets here! Of course she'll have to teach me how to use it. I can't follow written instructions and I'm computer illiterate. I've wanted one for so long, and now I'm finally getting one! I'm so happy! My son wanted to know why I wanted a pager when I had a cell phone. I told him I couldn't call deaf people on a cell phone, and he said "sure you could but it would be cruel". Leave it to him! Thank you Mary so much for telling me where to look. You'll be the first person I page. Then after a while, you'll be sorry you told me where to look.
I have to go back to work tonight, but then I'm off 4 nights. I usually get to make my own schedule. As soon as they find out I enjoy the days I have off, they'll probably change my schedule. I want to work 3, off 1, work 3, and off 7. Maybe I'll get it like that. I hope so anyway. I go part time in January, so I need to have some time off to do things I want to do before school starts.
I went to Pigeon Forge a couple of weeks ago. I bought a cd that has the vocals removed and I'm gonna learn it and TRY to sing it in church sometime. The only time they ask me to sing is when they want a good laugh. As you can guess, I can't sing. But I sure like to pretend I can. Well, gonna go now but watch out! I'm back and in a writing mood! I won't be posting tomorrow because of work (I'll be sleeping), but I probably will the next day. So until then, later...

A Wonderful Day

TGIF!!! I'm off tonight and the weekend. I don't know if you would call it being off or not, I'll have the grandkids this weekend. But that's enjoyable. I don't know if I'll be going trick or treating or not. I never do, and I think if their parents want them to go, they should take them. Glad I said that. I just talked myself into telling them that if they ask me to. I sure do wish I could have a weekend off every once in a while just to do something with friends. Not when I've already got something planned. I didn't get a flu shot this year. I thought I'd leave the vaccine for someone in a higher risk category. Now my mom can't get one because no one has them. I called the hospital and asked them if she could have mine. They're supposed to think about it and let me know. Since my mom is VERY high risk, I think they should. But rules are rules and if they say no, oh well... I have to work Monday night and I'm really going to miss my sign language class. She's giving a quiz that night and I was really looking forward to it. I got a new camera that makes videos. I took it to work with me last night and had a ball. I was also a blonde last night. So anytime I did something stupid, I'd say "Hey! I'm a blonde!" Anyway, maybe I'll think of something more productive to say later. Until then...be good or be good at it! Later...

I'm Back!

It has been a long time since I posted here. I forgot my user name and my password. I finally kept trying different stuff til I remembered it. Last night was a long night at work but a pleasant one. All the people I worked with were very nice and nobody threatened me. I did make one patient mad when I told him he couldn't leave the floor to smoke because he had a heart monitor on and that would defeat the purpose of being there. The monitors won't pick up if you leave the floor. Anyway, I have been attending a Sign Language class at New Life Fellowship Church in Clinton, TN. The teacher is a friend of mine, Lillian Wynn, mother of my very dear friends Mary Carver and Sandy McMillan. She is deaf and she teaches so much better than anyone I have ever encountered as a teacher before. I am so glad I took the class at Pellissippi and met the Carver's and their families. I love being around them. My husband wrecked his motorcycle yesterday. (He forgot to put his foot down when he stopped). DUH!! Anyway, he dropped the bike, landed on his head and shoulder and went rolling down the neighbor's yard. The bike is fine. I guess he is too. That remains to be seen. I have been very worried about a friend of mine who has been ill. I hope the dr's soon find out what is wrong with her and get the problem taken care of. My grandkids are getting so big! Shelly (age 8 months) has already taken steps. And she just started pulling up not long ago! Before you know it, she'll be terrorizing her big brother Billy (age 2). Oh well, now that I know how to post again, I'll post something more appropriate. But for now, Goodnight all!

New House for my Friends

Sunday was the dedication ceremony for the Carver's family new house. It is so beautiful! The ceremony was beautiful and the song, "The House That Love Built" was so fitting to the situation. Bucky and Mary have worked long and hard to accomplish getting their own home and that day has finally come. When they move in will be the final step. I can't wait til they do. They will be so happy. And nothing makes me happier than to see my friends happy. I had to work Saturday night so I came home Sunday morning and dove in bed and slept for about an hour. Then I got up and followed Mary's sister Sandy to the dedication. It was well worth getting up for. I didn't bring a digital camera so I'll have to wait to get the pictures developed. After the dedication, when everyone was touring the house, I played outside with Tori and another little girl. They weren't playing fair. They ganged up on me. I loved it though. I'm still a child at heart. Anyway, God let the weather stay beautiful for the ceremony and it couldn't have gone off any better. I am so happy for this family. Every time I think about it, my eyes fill with tears of joy for them. They are such wonderful people. I only hope that someday I can do as much for them as they have done for me. Their friendship alone is more than anyone could ask for. Anyway, I hadn't left a blog in a while and couldn't think of a better one to do than on my friend's new house and my blessing of their friendship.

Alone At Last

Most of the time I enjoy being at home alone. Gives me a break from having to take care of a disabled husband and an elderly mother. Now my husband is in the VA Hospital in Nashville, (a routine thing that doesn't really bother me), and my mom is in the hospital at Parkwest. I worry so much about my mom because she is getting old and so feeble. She has 2 dogs at home and one of them has to have heart medicine twice a day. Now I have to worry about that too. If I miss a dose, Mama will let me have it! I'm not going to have a choice but to drop my ASL class. I'll admit, I was thinking about it but now even if I decided to stay, I couldn't. My motorcyle is in the shop in Kodak, but I have no one to take me to get it. Oh well... I'll get it eventually. I can't sleep so I thought I make a blog. I was so happy last night when I got home from the hospital to find an email from Mary telling me she would be willing to help me learn. I think I'll learn more that way. I get to meet Mary's sister today. She's hearing but sounds like a really nice person. I love meeting new people. Looks like I won't be keeping grandkids this weekend. I'll be at the hospital most of the time. But that's okay. I need a break. Seems like I have something to do every day of every week. Maybe I'll get the chance to clean my house. Oh well, I'll do what I can. Thanks for reading.

A Day In The Life

Last night at work was much better. Like I said, I don't hold grudges and the other nurse and I got along fine. Only problem today was only sleeping about 1 hour before I had to go to class. I did okay but I can't hold my eyes open to study. I bought the movie The Passion of the Christ today. I SOOOO want to watch it but I can't stay awake long enough. Maybe tomorrow... I get my motorcycle back tomorrow. I thought it had a busted seal but they said it was just overloaded with grease from when it was put together. Wonder if they'd buy me another pair of scrub pants where the grease got all over them?? Short blog but I'm really tired. Maybe I'll do another one tomorrow. Have a wonderful day!

Bad Night

All is not well with me today. I had what I think was the most horrible night at work I've ever had. I try so hard to be nice to everybody I work with. I want no enemies and I try to "do what Jesus would do". It was a very busy night with several admissions from the Emergency Room. I don't want to sound like I'm bragging, but I take excellent care of my patients. I try to treat them like I would want my mother treated. I also try to help my co-workers all I can. But for an RN to threaten to smack me because I was too busy to do her work for her was the last straw. I'm feeling very down this morning and I guess I think it will make me feel better to put my feelings on here. If I hadn't been working there 22 years, I would've walked out then and there. But I haven't let anybody run me off yet and I don't intend to let her. But I just don't want to go back to work tonight and then go to school tomorrow. Maybe a good day's sleep will fix me up. Someone told me to file a harrassment charge against her, but I'm sure she just felt overwhelmed by all the work. Anyway, so much for my whining. I'm gonna take a sleeping pill and go to bed. Maybe I'll feel better later. If you've made it all the way through this blog, thanks for listening to me whine.

A Lovely Breakfast

I just got home from Walmart and various other stores. I spent WAY too much money. But while I was at Walmart, my friend Mary and her mother, Lilly, met me there and we had breakfast together at McDonalds. Now, you may not consider this to be much, but to me it was a wonderful experience. I always enjoy seeing and talking to Mary and her family, and this was a casual meeting and I really had a great time. I look forward to spending more time with them, and can't hardly wait to see them again. When they get in their new home, I'm hoping to visit them and work some more on my signing. My ASL class starts Tuesday, but it seems I learn so much more from them. I keep trying to learn new words and phrases but I need to work on speed too. I can only do that with them and the mirror. But most of all, I want to spend time with them because they are very good people and great friends.

Miracle

One night I was in my back yard when I heard a very quiet "mew". I listened and heard it again. It sounded like it was coming from the crawl space under my bathroom. I went inside and got a flashlight. I came back outside and was moving the wood from the opening to the crawl space when I heard it again. It sounded like it was coming from my shoe. So I shined the flashlight down there and saw the tinyest kitten I have ever seen. I thought it had some grass or weeds stuck to it but on closer inspection, saw that the unbilicle cord was still attached along with the placenta! The mama cat must have been in trouble and just dropped the kitten as soon as it was born. I didn't know what to do. I ran to my mom's next door to see if she had any kitty sip (kitten formula). She didn't. It just so happened that a neighbor's cat had a litter of kittens a week before. They were almost impossible to get to. They were under some steps that had been blocked in. So I had to grab the back porch, swing my legs through a small opening, and go in that way. Now I'm known as the tomboy of the neighborhood. Now, most cats won't take care of kittens that don't belong to them, so I rubbed the kitten vigorously and rubbed the mama cat and the other kittens. (There were 4 others). I put it to her belly and it immediately started nursing. It is smaller than the rest of the kittens and didn't open it's eyes when they did, but hey! they're a week older. She can still hold her own with the others. Unfortunately, one of the kittens was grabbed by a boxer bulldog and was never seen again. I can only imagine it's fate and it's not pretty. Since God knows I love cats, he put that kitten in my back yard and put me outside that night. I call her my little miracle and I love to go over and pet her and play with her. My husband doesn't like cats and I would be afraid to leave her outside with my dog. I'm afraid she'd be his lunch one day. Miracle likes to prance around on Mama's roof in the middle of the night, keeping Mama awake. I hope if anyone adopts her, they will give her a home full of love and care. God knows she had a bad start in life so maybe He will grant me this one wish. She is a beautiful kitten, almost solid gray with some orange undertones on her fur. Anyway, this is the story of Miracle, and I think the name suits her fine.

Silence Is Golden

Today is Monday. I have been keeping my grandchildren for the last 3 day. Now comes the priviledge of putting my house back together and getting a shower and being in bed by noon so I can work tonight. Friday, Rebecca and Nicholas came up to spend the night. I love these 2 kids dearly. As you know, Rebecca was my first grandchild and holds a special place in my heart. Nicholas is Nana's boy and doesn't let me out of his sight. After I took them home on Saturday, Billy and Shelly came up to spend the night. Billy is PaPaw's buddy and doesn't let him out of his sight. But that doesn't stop him from getting into everything. He is all boy and loves to explore. I am determined to make Shelly a MeMe's girl. You see, I have different names for different families. I guess I'm trying to put off cleaning my house up by doing this. I'm the world's worst procrastinator. Now the kids are gone, but the house is too quiet. Even though the kids seem to be driving you nuts when they're here, it's so quiet without them. So I guess I titled this wrong. Silence may be golden in some cases, but I miss those kids when they're not here. I only wish they knew how much I love them. Maybe someday, they'll grow up and read this and then they may get an idea.

A Couple I Am Thankful to Know

I have several friends but I have 2 friends whom I feel truly blessed to know. Their names are Mary and Bucky Carver. They live in Clinton, TN but will soon be relocating to Oak Ridge, TN when their new home is completed. I first met Bucky when I was a student at Pellissippi State taking a class in American Sign Language. He was the assistant teacher and also my tutor. One day he brought his daughter, Tori, to class with him. She is a wonderful girl and very shy. Bucky came to my house to help me put down some linoleum and Tori came with him. She was so shy at first but then she and I started trying to see who could nail the wood down the fastest. The evening ended up with me taking Tori for a ride on my motorcycle. When I found out Tori was going to be playing baseball (my favorite sport), I went to all the games I could. Bucky and Mary also have 2 sons, Justin, 13, and Ryan, 5. Ryan just started kindergarten and doesn't like school. Justin is your typical teenage boy, only very nice and considerate of others. Bucky also attends Pellissippi and is working toward a degree in networking and communications. I wish I was half as smart as he is. I met Mary at one of Tori's ball games, along with her mother Lillian, Lilly for short. Mary was very nice but I didn't see her again for awhile. When I did get the opportunity to see her again, she was still the same sweet girl I met the first time. I call her a girl because she's my daughter's age. Bucky and Mary are very patient with me when I talk to them. You see they, along with their daughter Tori, are deaf. I just consider them friends though, not "deaf" friends. I have met alot of hearing people that I wish were as nice as they are. We get along great, or at least I think we do. Sometimes I feel like I'm being a bit overbearing because I want to spend time with them alot when I know they have their own friends in the same culture that they have known alot longer than they have known me. I just feel lucky that they have accepted me as a friend. My entire outlook on the deaf world has changed since I started taking ASL and met the Carvers. If I ever hear anyone say anything bad about anyone just because they are deaf, I will be fighting mad and I tell them the only reason they say bad things about people is because they are uncomfortable with their own insecurities. I have never met a nicer family than the Carvers, deaf or otherwise. Tori has graduated from elementary school to middle school now. Kids just grow up too fast. Although I have known them for just a short time, I feel as though I have known them forever.

My Special Friend

I have a special friend named Anna Burnette. She is jokingly referred to as my "2nd best friend" (private joke). I have known Anna for 15 years ever since she came to work at the hospital where I work. She and I have been there for each other through thick and thin. She has 2 children, Mindy and Matthew, and 2 step daughters, Shannon and Kelli. She also has a step son named Robby. I think Anna is the most special person in the world, outside of family. I consider her a sister and love her. She is the best nurse I know of and I would want her taking care of me or my family if one of us was in the hospital. She has grandchildren but I lost count on how many. I feel as though I have known her longer than 15 years. I can talk to her about anything. I wish we had time to do things together outside of work. We used to be on the same schedule but now we don't work together that much, with my school schedule and all. Anna has short blond hair that always looks like she just stepped out of the beauty shop. Anna, if you're reading this, I love you and hope we both get the chance to do something real soo. Anyway, I want to ride in that fancy new car of yours.

My Family

As you know, I am 50 years old. I would like to tell you a little about my family. My mother, Granny, is 76 years young and is the most important woman in my life. I love her so much. I wish she could live forever. I don't know what I'll do if anything happens to her. I guess you could just lock me up in a padded room with one of those nice white jackets. My husband, Doug, is 54 years old and very special to me. We have been married 33 years and we've kind of grown on each other. You can't be married to someone that long and not love each other. My daughter, Bambi, is 32 years old and the mother of Rebecca and Nicholas. Bambi can be a little unnerving at times, but she is really a lovely person. She sure has turned out to be a good mom. Rebecca was my first granddaughter and will always hold a special place in my heart. I tried to get Bambi to give me custody of her, but nothing doing. Nicholas is almost 22 months old and gets into everything. But he definitely knows the meaning of "no" and uses his knowledge well to stay out of trouble. He is so cute. He loves to get in the pool with me but he won't let go of me. Bambi is married to Jeff, who works in Oak Ridge. My son, Doug II, is in the army and will soon be coming home for good. He has been to Afghanastan 3 times and Romania once. He is the father of Billy and Shelly, my other 2 grandchildren. He is married to Rose, who works at the day care where the children stay and is also a student. I think she is majoring in education. Doug seems like a really good dad. I guess we'll find out for sure once he gets home and is aroung the kids all the time. Billy is 2 years old and is also into everything. (terrible 2's). He is very adventurous and likes to see what makes things work. He is so funny when he talks to an imaginary audience. Maybe he'll be a preacher one day. Or a politician (God forbid!). Shelly is almost 5 months old and she's a real cutie. She doesn't do alot right now but she has learned to turn over and she loves to smile. My step grandmother (Zula, aka:MaMaw) will be celebrating her 100th birthday next month. I'll hopefully be attending her party. She still gets around but has fallen and broken a hip in the past and lives in an assited living facility. My dog, Troy, is a sweet little puppy. He protects the house and will gladly chew off the arm of anybody he doesn't know. My dad, Frank, passed away when I was 19 from lung cancer. He was only 51. I love him and still miss him to this day. He'll be gone 31 years the 20th of this month. Daddy, I wish you were here and healthy. My sister, Gerry, is the single mom of Kelli, who is married to Jeremy. They are expecting their first child in November. Gerry will be a grandma then and she just doesn't know how special that will be. Gerry is an LPN and works in a nursing home. Kelli works in the bakery at Walmart and Jeremy works in the pharmacy at Walgreens. I am an LPN and I work in a hospital. I hate working in nursing homes. It takes a special person to work in a nursing home and I just don't have the patience. So this is my family. Hope you've enjoyed reading about them cause they mean the world to me.

Biker Chick

Hi, I'm back. I think my most favorite thing to do besides going to church is riding my motorcycle. You see, it's my midlife crisis. Along with getting my belly button pierced. I guess you could say I'm in my second childhood. I am a very young 50 years old and love to be around young people. When I get on my motorcycle and ride I feel right at home. I must admit, I'm pretty good to have only dropped it once and that was because someone was watching me make a turn and made me nervous. Now that it is turning colder, I'll still ride it. I'll just dress warmer. And when it turns really cold, well, I've got a warm suit and electric gloves. So I don't get cold unless I forget to turn the gloves on (not that that has ever happened. No not me). I mostly ride my bike to school and work. I have never ridden in a big ride or gone to bike week. When I got my first bike, I didn't have a license to drive it, so I asked my husband to drive it home for me. He wrecked it twice and it never got home. It had to go back to the shop. Needless to say, he was in the hospital shortly after that, and not from injuries sustained in the wreck. Seriously, he had already planned this hospital stay. I didn't do anything to him (or did I?). I recently bought him a motorcycle because he wants to ride so bad. His is a Kawasaki 600 Eliminator. He looks like an elephant on an ant. You see, he is kinda HUGE. My bike is a sweet Honda Shadow Spirit 750. It's purple and has ghost flames on it. I love it. I still miss my red Shadow 600. My 750 has a windshield, sissy bar, and hard saddle bags on it. I decided I needed saddle bags when I lost my books and homework off the back of my first bike as I was going to school. Just flew right off. A man stopped and I thought he was going to ask me if I needed help but all he did was fuss about me being pulled over on the side of the interstate. I felt like telling him when he learns to speak English, he could suggest what I should do. The nerve of him! Some guy you can barely understand trying to tell you how to drive in America! I just told him to go on about his business and I would tend to mine. I got my book back (after almost getting run over on the interstate in rush hour). But alas, my paperwork was gone. I had a very understanding teacher who let me redo it as long as it was in by the end of the day. That took some work! So now I haul all my stuff in my saddle bags and they aren't going anywhere. Hence, another boring story by a boring person. Have a good day!

My life after marriage

I got married at the ripe old age of 17. My daughter was born the following February. (please, no math). I was still very young and not the best mother around. If it hadn't been for my mother-in-law, no telling what would have happened. But I'm proud to say that I have a beautiful daughter who still pushes my buttons at times but I still love her dearly. 8 1/2 years after she was born I had a son. Thankfully I had settled down some by that time and I cared for him myself. We lived in many different places in Knoxville and Kingston and never really had a permanent address until the past 13 1/2 years. We have lived in one place that long. Hard to believe, huh? Also I am an LPN who is going back to school to get my RN degree. It seems like I have been in school forever getting in all the prerequisites and all, but I'm closer now than I was. Also last semester I saw American Sign Language offered at my school and took an interest in it. Now I'm hooked. I want to be able to communicate with ALL people (as long as it's within the English language). My husband is impressed with what I have learned so far and is encouraging me to further my education in ASL. Anyway, back to the subject at hand. My husband is a disabled veteran. If I had known how it was going to be before I married him, I probably wouldn't have. But then I was 17. Now I'm glad I did. He is a good man and I love him. My son is currently in the army and should be getting out in about a month. YEAH!!!! Both my children are married and have given me 4 wonderful grandchildren. My daughter has Rebecca and Nicholas and my son has Billy and Shelly. These kids are my life but please, no more! I love keeping my kids on weekends but I can't keep them all at once. They're quite a handful. Plus there is some jealousy going on between babies. I love my life as it is. I stay busy with work, school, my husband and trying to help my mom as much as I can. I only wish I could do more. But my husband is VERY dependent on me and I can't let him down. I guess I've bored you enough. Maybe my next post will be more interesting. Thanks for looking.