Iron Update

Every Monday evening our church has a healing ministry. Randy and I went last night to have some things prayed for. One prayer request Randy had was healing for my anemia. I told Randy it wasn’t necessary…I had been healed.
I KNEW that the four iron treatments I had was enough! (By the way…I feel better than I have in a long time! I have energy…I have been walking over a mile on my treadmill everyday…and I have lost five pounds in two weeks!) Randy asked them to pray anyway…which is always a good plan…I don’t think a person can overdose on prayer!!
Today was my follow-up appointment with my hematologist Dr. Lim. I was so confident that everything was great I took my little spit-fire with me - he was a hoot! He had all the patients and ladies in the business office under his spell – it was so funny to see him so outgoing!
By the time I actually got to see Dr. Lim (over an hour later) my….my….let’s just say…my ”spirited” little boy was a handful! When Dr. Lim finally entered the room John was climbing on the chairs, pulling the paper off the exam table, trying to access the internet, opening drawers, tearing my purse apart…I was sweating…my hair was a wreck….need I go on? All I heard Dr. Lim say was we need more treatments as soon as possible…starting…now.

So…I called Randy in a panic to pick up John and took another dose of iron. I have to have at least six more treatments and the doses have increased. On one hand I am disappointed but on the other hand…if these four doses made me feel so good…I should REALLY feel good after the next six!!
Totally changing the subjects…
When I came home John was taking a nap and Randy said before he laid down he went to the garage and asked…”where’s Momma?” This is one of the first times he has formed two words like this - *sigh* - proud Momma moment! It ended quickly though…when John woke up from his nap he got sick at his stomach…all over the bed & comforter!

My Little Man...

Right after John was born Randy said “I knew I would love my son…I just didn’t know that I would be in love with him.” That’s exactly where we both are…in love with John. It is hard to believe that he is 22 months…only two months until he is 2! Where has the time gone?


It’s funny…every month of his life I think…”this is my favorite age”…and then the next month comes along! He is at such a fun age. Everyday he make me laugh…everyday he does, or says something that just makes me smile. He is starting to form words, he understands what we ask him, he is mimicking everything we do, and he has a little stubborn streak.
How did I get so blessed to have such a fun and spirited little boy? My Daddy use to say…”I must have been doing something right for the Lord to give me Tina”…well…I say that now about John. I read a quote in a magazine this weekend that I loved…”how did God know I wanted this exact little boy?”


For those of you who are not around John here are some recent “John’isms”

Randy has taught John to kiss me…when I am sleeping like Prince Charming kisses Snow White or Sleep Beauty. It is the most precious thing…John comes up to my face…puts a hand on each cheek and lays the biggest & sloppiest wet kiss on my lips! Of course I bounce up and throw my arms around him – it is a big production! I love it! I can not get enough kisses…and I know that I better get all that I can right now! I am storing them.
John is pretty good at remembering animal sounds…like the monkey, the cow, the pig, the dog, and other things like Thomas the Train which is “toot-toot’. I taught him that Dad snores…which I thought was pretty funny…until Daddy taught him that Mommy says “nag…nag…nag.”

Anytime the phone rings it is a race to see who answers it first. All John says is “what”…”what”…”what”…then he waves bye-bye to the phone and throws it down. He is really good at redial…he has called everyone from my brother, his MaMa & PaPa Light, his Daddy at work, his LeeLee, and the pizza parlor. And the door bell…so much for avoiding salesmen - he will stand at the door yelling until I open it!
Randy and I are not sure where he learned this but anytime it is dark…especially at night as we are putting him to bed…he whispers…”da-da”. It is in a strange tone and you can barely hear him. It is the funniest thing ever! We crack-up every time we hear him say it!!

He loves to ride his Rody (a bouncy horse), wear his Cowboy hat, point his gun in the air, and hoot & holler. I am not sure if it is a good thing but he tries to shoot everything. I have to fake my death at least ten times a day…but he immediately gives me a Prince Charming kiss to wake me up!

This amazes me & Randy. Anytime we pull onto Coulter or Georgia Street John knows the yellow duck for Quick Quack Car Wash is going to be coming up. He only starts saying duck or quack when we are on those two streets!! And he will not say duck or quack normal… it is like "dddd….uuuu…..cccc….kkkk" or "qqqq…..uuuu….aaaaa…..cccc…..kkkk". We quack up every time! hee...hee...hee
He loves watermelon, oranges, strawberries, milk, bacon, pinto beans, and cheese but he does not like ice cream, cake, or other desserts!

He loves routine. Every night after I give him a bath, brush his teeth, rub him down with lotion, & blow dry his hair he runs as fast as he can down the hall to Daddy. As he runs he throws one arm behind him and yells “Daddy…Daddy…Daddy”. Daddy is waiting in the big chair with a warm bottle of milk and his blanket. (I know…the bottle – he is almost two! He only takes one bottle a day and it is this one! I tried a few weeks ago to serve him warm milk in a sippy cup…when he got in Daddy’s lap and Daddy handed him the sippy cup…John looked at me like I was crazy…handed me the cup and said “no…no…no”) Plus…Randy and I love this time. It is so sweet. After he gets in Randy’s lap I cover him with his blanket, we say a bedtime prayer, I get a kiss, and he goes to sleep. In the morning he yells the Tarzan yell for me to come and get him…as I enter the room he points to the cd player and we have our morning music…which includes a few dances together. He loves to dance – his style of dancing is turning around in a circle but he eyes are always cut to the side…he looks like he is chasing a tail!
Yesterday in the car Randy had a major sneezing attack…John had to mimic it.

Spanking does not work…but alone time does the trick!
He is starting to potty on the toilet and in his potty chair. Yesterday he told me he was pee’ing…and this afternoon he took off his shorts and diaper by his self and brought them to me…as I was cooking dinner – I should add the diaper was full of #2.

You will ask him to do something and 90% of the time he will immediately fall to the floor and start snoring. When I try to lay him down for a nap when he is not tired he will snore…thinking he has fooled me! He has to have a nap or he is a mess by 7pm. If I let him…he would nap 3 to 4 hours everyday! Naptime is usually around 1pm…anytime after 3pm is a no-no.

When we go to the grocery store John and Randy have their own cart.
These are just a few things he does to keep our life interesting.
I often say I have to get up earlier to keep up with my boy.
I am blessed…my cup runneth over.

F.F.F. - on a Saturday!

My cousin Sandy recently found this photo and e-mailed it to me. (I love technology!)
The man in the middle is my Uncle Clinton, he was one of my Mother's oldest brothers.
This photo was taken when he was a Sergeant in the United States Army during WWII.
I always liked seeing my Uncle Clinton when we would travel back to West Virginia.
He always had me a toy, a pretty new doll, or jewelry box...which I still have along with the dolls.
He lived beside his Mother (my Grandma) and seemed to always look after her...as I am older now I can appreciate that. I hope when I am older my John will come look after me.

Busy 24/7

I don’t agree with divorce. The word divorce actually hurts my heart. I am blessed that my parents did not divorce and Randy is blessed that his parents did not divorce. However…Randy & I almost divorced…we were almost a statistic – class of 2006. I moved out, we had attorneys, and there was a court date.

Marriage is hard. As a child and young adult I never seen marriage as being hard…my folks made marriage look easy. I had a pre-conceived notion of how marriage was suppose to be…and it was not all of the effort, the giving, the doing, the struggling, the crying, and the hurting. Where was my Snow White/Cinderella/Sleeping Beauty story?

To make a long story short…God put Randy and I back together. It was hard – the hardest thing I have ever been through. There were many days that I did not want to live anymore. I was mad at God…I did not understand why He would bring me back to Amarillo and allow me to go through what I was going through. Family & friends turned their back on me…and shunned me. I wouldn’t even go to the grocery store close to my home…I would drive to Dumas or Pampa to avoid the chance of seeing someone.

But…God had a plan - God knew what He was doing. I learned who I was and the woman He wanted me to be. The Lord helped me clean out years of bitterness in my heart…bitterness that I was not even aware was there. Randy and I were able to re-connect and become stronger together. I fell in love with my husband again…and thanked God everyday for not letting us divorce.

You should know. satan is busy….he is busy 24 hours a day/7 days a week. he wants you. he wants your marriage…your spouse…your children…your family…your health…your joy…he wants it all. There is a battle everyday being fought between God and the enemy for you.

Divorce is easy - it is the easy way out of a problem. Most people believe they have a “right” to be happy, satisfied, joyful, respected, and appreciated. Where does it say we have these “rights”? Does God tell us anywhere in the Bible that we have these rights? Does He tell us if we are not happy we have a right to divorce? People think that divorce is a fresh/new start…I know I did. I was starting all over…a clean slate! But the problem was my slate was not clean at all. I had years of rage & bitterness in my heart…if I had got the divorce I wanted and re-married then that marriage would have failed because of my slate was not clean. Divorce is not the answer. Everything can be repaired and fixed; however it depends on how much the person is willing to sacrifice and to what lengths the person is willing to go through.

Is my marriage perfect? No way…do we still argue and get underneath each others skin? - sure we do…we are human. Randy and I want our marriage to work. We both work very hard…some days more than others to make sure we give it our all. I will always believe that John is our gift from God for fighting for our marriage to make it work. When I was going through the darkest time in the summer of 2006 the Lord spoke to me and told me “amazing things…be prepared for amazing things”. He was right 2007 was an amazing year.

So...where did this come from?? Unfortunately from a ridiculous tv show....Jon & Kate. I know that it is a reality show…I know that I do not know theses people but I cried my eyes out when I watched the show tonight. They keep saying it is all about the kids…it’s all about the kids….they are our main priority….we love the kids – THEN MAKE YOUR MARRIAGE WORK! Kate stop emasculating your husband…Jon stay home! Get help…professional help…get the cameras out of your house…and make it work. I watched this show from the very beginning and loved to see Kate in action…organizing, cleaning, cooking, and having a cute marriage. They seemed so happy when they were in their smaller house…scratching pennies to make it work. Now they are in their mansion, endorsements out the wazoo, fame, and fortune but they have lost what is truly the most important thing…which isn’t a thing – it’s the family. Once again...you can have a ton of money, a beautiful house, a perfect body, trips to great exotic locations...but that does not make you happy or keep you warm at night.

I am not sure if you are like me…but I can’t stomach to watch this show anymore. The devil wins again…another family destroyed.

Daddy's Day...

Happy Father's Day Daddy!
I have a great Daddy...I am sure you have heard & read this from me before.
I love my Daddy and I am so glad there is a day to honor him as my Daddy.

Here's something you may not know. In the late fifties my Daddy made a living supporting my Mom & two older brothers by working in a coal mine in the hills of West Virginia. When the coal miners went on strike Mom & Dad decided they needed to find a better source of income to support their little family. My Dad and my uncle and a friend left West Virginia looking for work. They ended up in Mississippi finding jobs at a chicken farm but there were three of them and only two jobs so they decided to keep searching. As they were eating at a diner in Mississippi this waitress told them there was something called an "oil boom" in Odessa, Texas where they could find work. She said if Dad would pay for the call she would get them a job...and she did. Once they got to Odessa they were broke and had to live in a horse barn for two weeks until they could afford to rent them a place to stay. Dad would fill a bucket at night with water from a local gas station so that they could bathe each morning. Once Dad had a place and some money saved he sent money for Mom & the boys to move to Texas. Mom & the boys along with Grandpa Light came to Texas....they left their cute home, new furniture, a stocked pantry, a smokehouse full of meat, all their family and friends...to give us (me & my brothers) a better life. My Daddy worked everyday of his life for forty years in the West Texas oilfield. He was gone by 5am every morning and most nights he didn't come home until dark. He usually worked on Saturdays until noon...or the job was done.
He never complained, called in sick, and only took two weeks a year for vacation.
He has a vast knowledge of the oilfield and even after he retired people would call him for oilfield advice. This make me proud - he gave it his all and his best. I am who I am because of my parents and what they sacrificed for me.

So...thanks Daddy. Thanks for all the new shoes, fancy clothes, teaching me how to make the world's best apple butter sandwich, thanks for giving me a great memory of a 4-way stop, thanks for cracking all those pecans & giving me the better piece, thanks for not letting me go to the movie with that boy when I was too young, thanks for hugging me & letting me snuggle beside you when I was scared, thanks for making me laugh, buying me the best Christmas presents, letting me get chickens, teaching me to fix things, getting me that yellow bike...and the pink one...and the moped, thanks for going to all my school functions even when you were too tired, for supporting me even when I failed & disappointed you, thanks for loving me...and thanks for being the BEST grandpa to my John. I know you know this...but John really loves you...he tolerates the rest of us...but he truly loves his PaPa.

Pottery

The hotel we stay at in Albuquerque is next to the front entrance of the airport.

The view out our window was of these amazing Indian pottery pieces...obviously they are not pottery...more like cement painted like pottery.

We had some extra time so I took advantage of it and snapped a few photos.

F.F.F.

How can it be Friday already??
What a whirlwind of a week it has been!

Between having my iron treatment, spending the day in the ER, dealing with John being slimed by a combination of Tide & Snuggles, driving to & from Albuquerque, crying like a West Texas gully washer, storming out of K-Mart, preparing for Father's Day, going to banks, oil changes, winning $30. from a scratch ticket, washing clothes in the women's restroom at Wal-Mart, and having my precious son slap a woman in tight jeans on her hiney...I am ready for a drink....seriously.
The photo today pretty much sums up my current mood!
This photo was taken about 33 years ago...and I remember this moment as if it happened today! As you notice I am holding my precious Rub-A-Dub doll...this was one of the first dolls that was specially made for bath time. This doll was my best friend for a long time and yes...I still have her. I was VERY distraught because my father refused to take a bath with her!! (The nerve...I was the princess - nobody said no to me!) I was so mad, hurt, angry, disappointed, frustrated, ugh....the emotions of a little girl! I did manage to survive and Rub-A-Dub probably didn't need another bath that day. (Oh...and I loved that dress!)
For Father's Day I have decided to forgive my Father for not taking a bath with Rub-A-Dub. I will let this go...and not carry this anger and bitterness a day longer...I am free...free at last! hee...hee...
Love you Daddy - Happy Father's Day! Thanks for capturing this memory Mom!

(For all of those praying for my Daddy - thanks! The prayers worked - everything went wonderful with the doctor visit in Albuquerque this week!)

F.F.F.

The “hottie” in this Friday Family Fhoto is my Randy!
The love of my life will be celebrating another birthday tomorrow.
He is amazing man and I am very blessed to have him in my life. I can not imagine going through this journey (especially parenthood) without him as my mate. He makes me feel every emotion possible…and then some. He does not love half heartedly…if that makes sense. If he can’t give it his all…he is not going to give anything – which makes him simply wonderful to me.

Most people are intimidated by him and most people don’t understand him…and are quick to judge who he is when they truly do not know him.
He is mysterious and very deep. I will let you know that he is the most giving & loving man I have ever known. He makes me laugh…the sort of laugh that coke comes gushing out my nose. He makes me think…about things that I would have ever thought of. He has taught me so much about our Lord, being a better person, forgiveness, and how to have passion…to be passionate about something.
All the above qualities are wonderful but there are two things that truly make my husband wonderful. #1. His love and fear of our Lord Jesus Christ. He leads us in prayer every night before we sleep, he always asks the Lord to bless his meals, he reads the bible at least two hours everyday, and he has prayed over me many times. He leads our little family well. #2. He is the best Daddy ever. He loves our son more than I could have never imagined. He jumps in and takes over all the time - he is so very patient with John. I could write forever about his Daddy skills. I do believe God has placed a mantle of fatherhood on Randy.
As I celebrate his life this weekend I am thankful…very thankful.
Happy Birthday Daddy-Doe…I love you.

(BTW - He was about 19 in this picture and the Ferrari is actually Magnum PI’s!!)

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Today is my Daddy's 77 birthday!
To say that I am blessed to have him as my Daddy is an understatement!
I truly have a wonderful Daddy!
My Daddy is one of the most caring and kind men you will ever meet...plus he is pretty darn funny! He has always worked hard to provide for his family and he does not understand how to slow down. He always gives 100% and he has always been there for me - no matter what. I am definitely a Daddy's girl and I always will be. Something that warms my heart more than anything is the love that my Daddy and my son have for each other. John tolerates all of us...but he loves his PaPa Light!
I thank God everyday for my folks.

I am blessed...my cup runneth over!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

F.F.F.

My Friday Family Fhoto this week is dedicated to my brother & sister that are married....okay they are not actually brother & sister...but they are my brother & sister....by law!
This coming Monday Kevin & Linda will be celebrating 24 years of martial bliss!

If you break that down...it is around 8766 days, 1252 weeks and over 210384 hours they have been together! Whew...that is a long time...especially by today's standards! The average divorce rate according to marriage101.com is 60%!

Kevin & Linda have definitely proven that a marriage CAN and does work! They are a perfect match...they finish each others sentences, they know what the other one is thinking without asking, and they conspire together to make others laugh! They really make a great couple and make marriage look easy. Thanks Kevin & Linda for setting the bar high for the rest of us.

Thanks for being great role models & positive support for me & my marriage!

Hmmm...

I promise I will not go off on a political rampage right now. I mean...I could really just start typing away about my feelings, the facts, and my utter disgust with our nation...but I know you are right there with me so what is the point.
I honestly avoid the news, including my favorite Beck, O'Reily, and Hannity - it just depresses me. However...I did catch this comment from Hugo Chavez yesterday.
I thought it was pretty funny...even though I think this guy is a complete "nut-job". Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez said on Tuesday that he and Cuban ally Fidel Castro risk being more conservative than U.S. President Barack Obama as Washington prepares to take control of General Motors Corp.

I am...Iron Woman

I have been anemic most my life but recent health issues have caused me to become even more anemic. It is impossible for me to take iron supplements - they make me very ill plus my body does not store the iron. Same thing with iron rich food...my cells do not store the iron.
My primary doctor and my endrocologist agreed that it was time to send me to a hematologist.
My first visit with Dr. Lim (the hematologist) was four weeks ago. He agreed with the other doctors - something had to be done about my lack of iron. He asked me to try the iron supplements one more time...I did and they were just as awful as I remembered.
My follow-up appointment was yesterday and my iron levels were lower than the first appointment. We had discussed iron infusion in the prior visit and he told me yesterday that I really didn't have a choice.
So yesterday was my first of four iron infusions. {An iron infusion is a slow drip I.V. of iron - which looks like coffee and it takes about an hour & a half.} I have to go every Tuesday for the next month to have this procedure done. It is painless...okay...the needles and the I.V. are not painless...but if it makes me feel better than I can tolerate some pain! The main side effect is being tired & achey the next day...which I am today but for the past few months I usually wake up that way anyway! The doctor told me after the third treatment I should start feeling much better. I hope this restores my energy...or at least give me some energy. It seems like I go to bed tired...and wake up tired! (BTW - iron deficiency is VERY common with people that have hypothyroidism. Plus people that take thyroid medicine and iron should know to NEVER take the two medicines together. Iron will basically cancel thyroid medicine if take together to closely!)

Changing subjects...my Dad is doing somewhat better...his blood pressure and diabetes are under control but he is exhausted. We have an appointment later this month with the doctors in Albuquerque. My Mom is doing really good - she is like a little energizer bunny! John and I try to visit them everyday....in fact that is where we are going now!