Cold - It's very cold

Out here in Gresham on the border of Troutdale - it's very very cold tonight. The east wind is up - and with blowing snow - it looks like a blizzard.

I think it's time to go wrap up in a blanket, get the cat - and drink some decaf coffee with candles and flashlights near by.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Interesting week

It's been an interesting week or so. I took the train to Seattle for work. It was amazing - AMAZING - to sit in the "viewing" car - and watch the sunset over the trees in the back hills on the way from Portland to Seattle. Then we came up upon trees and the ocean. You know what! God certainly makes things awesome.

Tuesday night - arriving back in Portland late - I ran over some construction on the middle of an intersection. I thought they cleaned up afterwards! But I wound up with two nails in my one tire. Fortunately, the way they were situated, no air escaped. The tire just made a horrible clattering noise all the way home. Les Schwab fixed the tire the next day.

My cat, Tut, had been having accidents around the house. Now to know Tut is to love Tut - but accidents are not to be loved. If you raise your voice to Tut - he is crushed. He will go into a pout . . . such a sensitive cat. So before I raised my voice at Tut (or papered my house with pampers) I decided it was time for a vet visit to see if he had issues.

Turns out the guy had issues. He had a bladder stone like an arrowhead. Yeah - Saturday night was emergency surgery for the guy. Got him back home after a several day stay at the hospital - with the vet telling me - don't let him chew his stitches. The first day that wasn't a problem. But the second night - I'm sleeping - and I hear him gnawing on his stiches at 4am. Like an idiot I yell at him to stop. And. . .we're into the pout behind the couch. So at 4am I'm digging him out from behind the couch - assuring him that he's still a good cat.

The vet and I had a discussion and now Tut is wearing an Elizabethan collar which he hates. But he's not chewing on those very expensive stitches!

Happy Birthday

Today was my birthday and I had a great day. Went out to lunch and then to a movie with a fantastic friend. Then came home and was able to just relax for the rest of the day.

It was awesome to get to speak with my sister and her family. I am so looking forward to seeing them next May. It also appears that one of my adopted nephews will be getting married next June in Atlanta. It looks as though I will be doing some traveling in May and June.

Today the long dry spell in Oregon was over. We had a torrential downpour that occurred about 20 minutes after I had lugged watering cans out on the balcony and watered all the plant. Hmm. . .good thing I didn't wash the car.

Women's Bible Study is going to be on Romans. I'm back with the same small group leader I had for the first two years at church. I'm excited to be able to be back in her group - if I couldn't have the same leader I had last year.

Well, it's time to go to bed (after retrieving a cat who is chasing an imaginary bug around the house) - and be grateful to God for another year in helping me grow to be more like Him.

The Volleyballer

Last night I was able to go watch my niece - Mariah - play volleyball. The other team had a nice clap and stomp down (lots of spirit!) . . .unfortunately they weren't so good at returning the ball. Or maybe the players on Mariah's team just had wicked volleyball serves.

Mariah has been appointed as a setter for the team (she'd rather be a spiker - but height has contributed to this decision). As a former setter it was interesting to watch her set. At age 12 - she's got it down. The sets didn't spin. . they were good. I'm impressed with the teamwork and skill that she shows (but then I'm probably not very impartial.)

This weekend promises to be a fulfulling weekend of house cleaning, violin practice - and general foolishness! Additionally (like most people in America) - I'll be praying for those people in harms way from Hurricane Ike.

Breathe through your nose!

Recently I had to go in for a root canal. Specialist put that thing over the tooth– numbed the mouth – and said, be sure to breathe only through your nose. Right. . .

So three days later, my nose is starting to not feel good. . .you know how the nose gets when you’ve got a zit appearing on the side of it. Yeah – except this zit was on the inside. Figured it would go away. . .NOT. And then it started to cause pain in the middle of the night. . .then it got a pulse of it’s own. Wound up going to the doctor. Who would EVER go to the doctor for a zit in their nose? Turns out it was a staph infection. I blame it on the root canal doctor dude who made me breathe through my nose. That’s done – now all I’ve got left to do is go get fitted for a crown. Oh joy.
The message on Sunday was awesome. Talked about the rhythms of life. After having a summer break - it's nice to get back into the rhythms of the year...

Mid August happiness

Yeah - it's been awhile since I've posted. Today the heat wave finally broke - thank God for cooler weather.

This summer I've been having such a great time enjoying friends. There's something to be said for a quiet life and embracing the small things that bring joy to each other.

My dear little niece and I had a wonderful time out at Heaton's place with a ping-pong tournament and a hamburger bbq.

This weekend I am looking forward to an event that's been a long time coming. I'm meeting up with a small group of friends in a rural location. After sharing supper - we plan to sit around a campfire with music instruments and worshipping God in music and word. It looks like the weather is going to hold.

I am looking forward to the end of summer to get back involved in Bible studies and find out what's happened in other people's lives over the summer.

Things and stuff!

It's been awhile since I posted. Many things have happened since then - that required a lot of moving in ways I sure didn't want to go.

I flew to Indianapolis to be with my sister (I hate to fly!) We had a great time together...before I flew back (I hate to fly!) Thank goodness for valium on the plane.

Finished auditing a class at Multnomah Bible College - that was fantastic!

Had an appointment with the pastor to talk about "auntying" stuff. Never had an appointment with a pastor before. It was pretty nice to talk about things with him.

Next came a solo before about 100 people. Okay now - it wasn't just a line or two! It was an entire song. AN ENTIRE SONG!! I've done it now and don't want to do it again. Yeah - I got talked into it by 4 of the sweetest voices I know - the Pynes! Somehow they just DO that.

Next up - a violin recital. Noooooo! Yep - it's this Sunday.

In the middle of all this came the next 2 movies: Prince Caspain and Raiders of the Lost Ark. I figure all the stresses of solos and recitals can be overcome by seeing these two movies.

The last thing on my schedule is a blind date. Once all that's over - I plan on grabbing whatever nieces I can and heading on out to hang with the cow at Pynes!

Ya never know. . . .

About 2 years ago, the strangest thing happened. I got on the public transportation "MAX" and sat across from a little girl, her younger brother, and in front of them were Mom, Dad and baby sister. I started to read a C.S. Lewis (Chronicles of Narnia book) and it was like the Spirit just told me to wait for the girl to talk to me. . .it was gonna happen.

Two stops later, this girl (6 years old) is talking up a storm to me. Her parents are keeping a watchful eye on the entire situation -and I'm trying the best I can to "telegraph" to them that I'm a safe person. Long story short - the parents and I met. They'd been going to my church for 2 weeks after coming to Oregon from Louisana. It was summertime and they didn't have a way to connect in the church and were looking for ways to do so. Several weeks later I saw them at church - and we became fast friends. They were appointed to be head of the Young Families at church - and invited me to join them for a special series.

Fast forward to a year ago. I'm in the special series, but I'm also getting coffee at the coffee kiosk. Guests are invited to get a free cup of coffee. This lady in front of me had her coupon for a free cup of coffee. She was asked - how long had she been in Oregon. The response was less than 24 hours. Her husband had been transferred - and they moved here knowing no one. I asked her if she was going to church - or leaving. My intent was to have her join me at Young Families to meet this family from Louisana. They were going to service. I asked her if she would trust me enough with her phone number and name. She wrote it down.

Went to Young Families. Placed the name and number in front of Shannon (my friend) and asked her if she would please call her. It was urgent! Shannon later told me it was a good thing.

Fast forward to 2 weeks ago. Once again, I'm visiting Young Families. Shannon isn't there, but this woman was introducing herself. Eventually she looked at me and said, were you the person who met a lady who'd been in Oregon for one day in the coffee line? I told her yes! She said she'd been looking for me for over a year.

Seems as though the very next day (Monday), her husband had to fly away for business to Phoenix, leaving her and her 2 kids alone in Oregon knowing no one. Shannon called her Monday at 8:30 to invite her over to her house. By 11:30 the two had connected at Shannon's house and were having lunch with their kids playing together.

Isn't God great? And it all started on a MAX train.

A Milestone!

Today I went to the doctor to get my loose cast replaced - instead the took xrays and determined I could wear a splint! Wah hoo! Got it off 11 days early

Wednesday Heather, her daughter and I hung out. We had a blast!