Happy Birthday, Josh!

It was a surprise, so I didn't share it with very many people. My oldest, Josh, was having his 30th birthday and I didn't want to miss it. So I got on the Internet and found a great deal on plane fare. The morning of his surprise birthday party, I got in the car, drove 3 hours, parked, and flew south. The plane trip actually took a lot less time than the drive. I arrived in the big city and took the train to the station near their house, where Hannah picked me up. Jason called from home and said Josh was at the mall next door to the train station, where he was getting a hair cut! We had to get out of there! Josh called Hannah while I was in the car and they talked for a few minutes while I sat, grinning. He had no idea I was in town!

Hannah and I had a great time walking around the square and doing a little shopping before the party. We got to the restaurant about a half hour before he did. We knew the surprise party wasn't really a surprise anymore--it is hard to pull a fast one on Josh! But he had NO idea I was there. When he saw me, he said, "Now THAT'S a surprise!" It was great to see him, his wife, in-laws and friends.

Afterward, we went to Pete & Hollie's for cake and ice cream. We had a wonderful time.

While your children are little, you wonder if they will grow up to be decent, normal people! It is such a blessing to see Josh and Hannah all grown up and living their lives far away from their childhood homes, prospering and blessing those around them. They are doing great!

Moving Again.

Even though we signed a lease on the house we live in, the landlord decided to sell. So this week a Realtor came by, looked the place over and put up a sign in the front yard. So it is official. Our opinion is that the house is overpriced for this area, but who knows--someone might want exactly what we have.

This picture is of the bike trail and lake near our house. It is a beautiful trail that gets a lot of use by us and many others. We will miss it!

The sign went up on Thursday. On Friday, a strange man walked right in the house without knocking! He asked Jason the price and how many bedrooms. Jason was pretty mad and told the guy, "you NEVER just walk in someone's house! Go call the number on the sign!" Oh, brother. We knew we would have to have the house ready to show at any time, but never thought someone would come right in!

The results of Justin's CT scan are in. He has an appointment for September 8 to talk to the doctor at the local hospital. We got a (comical) letter in the mail from that hospital. "The results of the CT scan of your thyroid are back. It appears the thyroid may be abnormal." Well, duh. Ya think?

Justin's next MRI will be October 14. Please pray that there are no changes. Thanks so much!

State Fair Time

Today I am going to the Iowa State Fair. It is a tradition of mine. I have no specific reason to go, nothing in particular that I have to see. I don't buy concert tickets or enter my photography, sewing or cooking for a prize. I don't go for the food, which is the reason most people say they go. I don't have to see the cow made of butter or the largest bull in the state. And I am not interested in looking at farm implements or buying a new vacuum cleaner. I won't buy a bucket of hot chocolate chip cookies, funnel cake, turkey leg, or any of the dozens of things on a stick. I won't step foot on the midway or go near the beer tents. I probably won't spend more than $10, although I sure would if I could. There is a sewing machine there I love...

There is something about the Fair. It is just fun to be there with all the people, the animals, the sounds, the smells, the busyness, the music, and the free entertainment everywhere you look. It is the same feeling when you are in New York City for the day, or at Niagara Falls or on a cruise ship. It is the camaraderie of thousands of people all sharing in the same experience at the same time. Everyone is there for fun. No one is in a rush, on a schedule or wishing they were somewhere else.




I will grab a shaken lemonade, sit in the shade and just watch. In just a few minutes, there will be thousands of different people walking by, a clown in a little car, a cop on horseback, golf carts loaded with ice, a hundred strollers full of cute babies and miscellaneous purchases, a juggler, a school field trip with all the little kids hanging onto a single rope, and teenagers in many different fashion statements from cute to totally weird. It is much better than TV. I will walk to the top of the hill to the house, sit on the porch in a rocker and let the breeze cool me off. I'll walk through many of the buildings to see all the displays, talents, wares, samples, and ideas. I will ride the sky ride, just because I can. I will eat something good for me for supper so that I am not tempted to buy all the junk...but I will also have something junky just for fun. I'll sit in on a free concert or two, watch a demonstration of a new kitchen gadget, look at the "most ugly cake" winners, and go through the horse barn to see the beauties there.

And when I leave, I know I will not have seen half of what I could have, so I will have to go back next year!

CT Scan

Justin has a CT scan scheduled for tomorrow (Monday). Pray that all goes well. It is to check the size of his thyroid. I'll post the results of this and his blood work, but it may be a month before we find out!

We had a great thunderstorm late this afternoon. There were beautiful cloud banks, fabulous lightning displays, and rain coming down so hard it looked like a blizzard. I love storms.

Another Doctor

Justin's Oncologist in Iowa City wants Justin to establish a relationship with a family practice doctor here in town, to handle the small things that come along. He also told us to have that doctor refer Justin to an endocrinologist for his thyroid. (This is because of Justin's insurance--it has to be started in our county and referred out). I chose a doctor that we met in the ER during the months that Justin was having seizures. She showed interest in Justin, which we liked. She is not taking new patients, but made an exception when we asked her--she was excited to have him.

Yesterday I went with Justin to his appointment. They did a comprehensive medical history, a mini physical, and set up a CT scan for next week. A nurse came in to take blood, and she got it on the first try! I was happy and told her she was amazing! Justin doesn't seem to mind much, but it drives me crazy when they have to poke him with needles over and over. I hate seeing my kid have to go through that, even if it is harder on me than him...

We will go back for results in a month. Evidently after that appointment, his doctor will send the results to an endocrinologist. Then we will set up an appointment to see him. She hinted that he would probably want to do surgery to take the thyroid out. But since Justin has cancer and that AVM in his brain, they may refer him back to Iowa City for the surgery. Round and round we go.

I have a feeling this is how it will be for all of us if we get national health care, and it is scary. We spend hours and hours chasing ourselves in circles. There is so much waste this way, double doctors, double time, double opinions, etc. It would be SO much easier if Justin's doc just referred him the the doctor of his choosing based on Justin's situation. Duh.

And that is my rant for the day. I feel better.

August Already!

It is amazing that August is here already. Life seems to go faster as I get older. I remember that just a few short years ago I was a single mom raising three kids, working two jobs, teaching two classes and having a great life. Now I can't seem to figure out how to do one job and nothing else.

My challenge to me is to get busier. I have decided that although I was too busy back then, I got a tremendous amount of work and play done. Now I am not busy at all and can't seem to accomplish anything. So I am going to begin a careful adjustment into some more activity.

Since Justin got sick, my life has been a whirlwind of other people's activities. I had to put my life on the shelf for more than a year. And I do not regret it at all. But now I am not needed as much and I feel a little lost. That is unusual for me.

I am looking at this big, wide world and I am not sure how to get back into life.

Driving Again!

Justin is driving again! After 18 months of not driving due to seizure activity, he is once again on the road. He has had NO seizure activity since February 1st, and he feels great! He took me out for ice cream tonight to celebrate. What a blessing and a relief to have him mobile again. Thank You, Lord.