Journal Jar - Question 1

Discribe your first job.  What did it pay? What were your duties?  What was your boss like?

My first job was at the Santa Anita Golf Course in the coffee shop.  The year was 1965.  The pay was $1.00 an hour plus tips.

I had to come in early and help the cook/boss to prepare the specials for the day.  Then as the golfers came in, I was the waitress.  There were only the two of us and a dishwasher, so I not only served, I cleared, cleaned and set the tables.  The golfers were obnoxious.  I was young - only 16 years old and they made the most disgusting suggestions to me.  I was a good waitress, but it was a tough job for me.

My boss was the cook/owner of the coffee shop.  He was pretty gruff and gave me the dirtiest jobs to see if I could cut it working there.  I didn't make it too long, because he didn't want to hear me complain about the nasty things the golfers said. 

Just Curious

We went to a new church for Easter services yesterday.  Our pastor and his family and our family.  We enjoyed the service.  It' not the same of course, because we are used to our pastor's style of preaching.  This guy was just different.

About halfway through the service, I looked up and saw what I though were fairly large earrings on a young man about two rows ahead of us.  Strange, I thought that he should have circles on his earlobes.  The I looked up again and could see the podium through his right ear!  I looked again and sure enough, the earring was inside his ear.  So, drifting away from what the pastor up front was saying, I just had to check out his left ear!  Again I could see through his earlobe.  Goodness!  He had pinkie-thick earrings and holes in his lobes.  Have I been sheltered?  This was a guy!

So tell me . . .is the piercing thing going a bit too far?  Am I living in the dark ages?  Do that many people have huge holes in their ears? 

I'm just wondering . . . .

From Dawn's Journal - 20 Questions

1. What is your least favorite thing to do and so you put off doing it?   Getting out of bed in the morning.

2. Are there any celebrities you wish would just disappear from tv or movies? Jerry Springer and others of his ilk.
3. Are there any things people would be surpised to know about you? Not much anymore!  I'm pretty open about my life.
4. Do you feel men and women have misconceptions about each other that should be cleared up and if so what are they?  I don't honestly know.  We seem to be more alike than different when you get to the bottom of things.
5. If you changed jobs now what's one job you would not want to have?  I wouldn't ever want to work in a bar again.
6. Has your life turned out the way you expected? Not at all.  It's been waaaay different, but it's a very good life.
7. What fellow blogger do you feel you have the most in common with?  Well, now, I see commonalities in a lot of them . . . my son John got me started here, but we have very different lives.  I have come to identify with a lot of people - afraid if I listed them, I might leave someone important out.
8. Is there any television show you watch that people hate watching with you?  Trauma: Life in the ER and Babies: Special Delivery
9. Is there anything you want people to know about you? What?  And let them know who I really am?
10. Is there anything you were afraid of that you're not afraid of anymore?  Being lonely
11. Is there any fears you wish you could get over?   Spiders!  Creepy flying things! 
12. Where did your first kiss take place? About a block from school - by a tree.
13. Do you ever daydream? All the time.  It's sort of a "what if" game I play with myself.  Very entertaining.
14. What were you like as a child? Skinny, smart, geeky-looking and spoiled.
15. How would you describe your clothing style? Early thrift shop

16. Where's the one placeyou always feel happy? At home with family
17. If you were reincarnated what do you want to come back as? Me
18. Is there anything you've done that you wish you could take back? More than I can count, but those things make me who I am today.
19. What was your most horrific nightmare about? Murdering my ex, cutting him up in pieces and stuffing his parts unde the floorboards of the house . . .

20. Do you agree with Scott Peterson recieving the death penalty? What does it matter?  He'll probably die of old age waiting to die . . .

Have a Blessed Resurrection Day

We are preparing to go to Easter service at the church, then spend the rest of the afternoon rejoicing with our pastor who just returned from a missions trip to Africa.

            He's Alive!  He's Alive! He's Alive!

This is the blessing we have today and every day of our lives.  For He is risen and we are free from sin.  His sacrifice is more than I can imagine.  In the Old Testament, Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son to honor God.  How much more God honored us when He sacrificed His only Son to save us.  Praise His name forever!

 

OOOOPs!

I made the picture too big and now I can't change it!  What happened to the "edit entry" space?  HELP!!!

Krissy's Photo Scavenger Hunt

Krissy asked us to just take a picture of anything this week.  But the one caveat was that it not be from our files, but new.  Since I couldn't cheat this time and since I've been pretty much confined to my bed because of my back, I took what was close to me. Hank brought us an Easter Lily, which I've put just above me on a dresser.  I love the trumpet look of the flower. It's really precious.

Many thanks to all of you who wrote to help me with this!  It took 3 tries, but I think this one works.  The second one was HUGE!  I somehow sized it the wrong way.

Doggie Visit

Well, the little doggies came to visit this morning.  They are so cute!  Even Dufus the Conure loved them.  The littlest dog, Taquila, weighs just about 3 pounds.  She's fiesty, though.  They were probably all from the same litter.  They're surely bonded to one another.  One of the dogs is male and he's the biggest - maybe 7 pounds.  He's hard of hearing, but his nose seems to work well.

I would love for them to have stayed, but the truth is, we still aren't moved in and Hank isn't finished over there. Rob took the ladies to see the house, but it's a real mess!  Hank is trying, but he's got stuff all over the place while he works.  We might not get the dogs if we don't get moved soon enough. I hope things move along . . . .I just adored the doggies.  Andrea loved them, too.

I can't wait to find out if they will be our doggies.  Pets surely bring a lot of joy into a household.

Hello Again

I can't believe it's been a week since I made an entry in my journal.  Nothing spectacular has happened, but I try to be faithful to write and also to read and make some comments.

Our pastor's wife gave us a new (used) car last Thursday evening.  It's a gas guzzler, but I am thrilled with it!  It's an Olds 98 and verrry comfy to drive.  I don't know about riding in it because I haven't given Rob the keys to try it yet.  This is my car.  I know I have to let him drive, but . . .

Sunday we started to get into some deep cleaning here in the house and I threw my back out.  I can't believe it.  I wasn't doing anything that strenuous.  Rob put me to bed and there I stayed until this morning.  I'm still very sore, but can get up at least.  I hate when stuff like that happens.

Tomorrow, the three little doggies are coming to visit.  We want to see if they like us and vice versa.  I'm so excited!  They are precious little dogs and just what I wanted.  Even Rob is excited and Andrea keeps asking which one will be hers. 

Another good thing has come from the possible doggies:  Hank is gettin' a move on in our house!  He bought the kitchen cabinets and just has the tile to go in the bathroom.  He probably doesn't relish the idea of 3 dogs in his house.  Of course, all three of them weigh less than a regular dog.

Hopefully today I'll get a chance to read some journals.  I miss you guys.

I wish I may . . .I wish I might . . .

Here's my wish:  that the three little doggies pictured here will come to live with us.  I saw an ad in the local paper for Pomeranian dogs for adoption.  These are older dogs (about 8 years old) whose person died.  They've been raised together.

I used to have Pommies when we lived in Mexico, but the last one died almost 4 years ago.  They are wonderful companions and a lot of fun.  I miss having a dog.  The puppy we thought we'd get didn't make it from Mexico and we thought we'd wait until we made the move to our little house.

BUT . . .here are these little doggies.  I already love them!  They have our name on them.  The biggest one only weighs 8 pounds.  They will be yappy little things, but most loveable.  If the adoption agency says yes, we will be a big family.  The lady tells us that they will come with a starter kit:  halters, beds, some food and more!

Next week, we are going to meet the dogs and have a home visit.  The house is perfect for them, even down to having an area where they can be left if we have to go out without them. 

I can hardly wait!!!  My heart is set on them.  Wish us luck with the "adoption agency".

Krissy's Photo Scavenger Hunt

I'm cheating a little bit!  Krissy wants pictures of "Fun" and I put up Andrea on the trampoline and Andrea playing with dolls.  Truth is, watching her have fun is fun for me.  When we were in Mexico, she didn't have this kind of fun.  There were just too many kids around and because she was our daughter, the kids in the home often ganged up on her.  Poor baby!

Now, however, Andrea gets to have her own fun.  It's such a blessing for us to watch it!  I have a feeling of true joy when I hear her laugh and see her play.

So, this is my fun.  Like Andrea, I love to have dolls around.  Have been collecting them since I was 8 years old.  Each time one is added to the collection, I put her (or him) in my bed for a night to let them know they are home now.  I don't play dress-up with them anymore, but it is neat to look around our room and see my dolls on display. 

I wouldn't like the trampoline, however.  My bones are a bit too fragile for that.  Younger, I would have joined her and fallen apart with the giggles. 

Lest you think that I am living vicariously through my daughter, I am not.  Fun is where you find it and the sheer joy of raising a child now that I am older is much more fun than when I was young.  Back then, I had more problems and child-rearing didn't seem fun.  Not everyone wants to have kids later in life - - I certainly wouldn't have bet on it for myself, but here she is, the child of my old age . . . and most everything about her is fun.

Saturday Six Episode 48

I can't believe it's Saturday again!  What happened to Thursday?  Did I miss it somehow?  I was going to take pictures this week for Krissy's Photo Hunt.  Darn!  Anyhow, here's Patrick's Saturday Six:

1. Have you ever called 911 for an emergency?  Nope - didn't have it in Mexico and haven't needed it here.
 
2. Do you spend more or save more?  Save what?
 
3. How many live plants do you have in your home now?  Do you give them enough attention?  None yet and they better pray I don't take care of them - I've got brown thumbs.
 
4. What was the last thing you did to exercise?  How often do you exercise?  I go mall walking as often as possible.
 
5. Where do you compare with regard to your parents:  do you feel like an adult, or still like the "kid?"  If you feel like an adult, when did you first feel that way? I'm the adult now, but that didn't happen until Mama died - I was her baby.

6. Who is the last person you received a personal card or letter from that wasn't sent to mark a special occasion? My friend Beth.  she's good that way . . .

Birthdays Abound

Today is Andrea's 11th birthday.  Like Ashleigh, Andrea is a miracle baby.  She was born prematurely as the 7th child to a 23 year-old mom.  By the time I first laid eyes on her, she had suffered a great deal.

Andrea's birth mother brought her to the mission clinic on October 12, 1994. I slipped out the door to sign up the patients and the young woman was standing there holding a small bundle.  She told me it was her daughter and she was sick.  We took patients in order of arrival and she was about the sixth or seventh that morning.  I couldn't take my eyes off the bundle.  I wanted to squeeze her in right away.  The doctor asked me not to, but each time I went out, my eyes searched for her.  When it was her turn, I couldn't find her!  I thought she had left in despair.  Women started calling to her and she came from the other end of the building.

We placed the baby on the examination table and opened the blanket.  Dr. Ramon took off her clothes and drew in a breath.  The baby's face was ashen and she looked more like a tiny monkey than a real baby.  Just a little over 7 months old and she weighed just 2 kilos - under 5 lbs!  She was emaciated and you could see all of her bones.  Even her butt bones were prominent.  I felt like I was going to cry.  I whispered to the doctor in English to ask the woman to let me take the baby home with me to nourish her.  "You're crazy!" he said.  "This baby will be dead in a day or two.  You can't take her home.  You don't know what the government will do if she dies in your home."  I didn't care.  I told him to ask her anyway.  With a stern look, he talked to her.  "Your baby will soon die.  My "nurse" wants to take her to her home to make her comfortable."  The mother's eyes looked at me pleadingly, "Oh, si, por favor!"  Yes, please help.

I took her home.  She was so tiny!  I know the Lord must have put that strong desire on my heart.  I couldnt let the baby die.  Dr. Ramon gave me medicine in case she started vomiting as her mother said she had.  I had to inject it into a muscle.  There was no fat, no spare place on her body, so I hoped against hope she would not vomit.  I fed her with a syringe because she could not suck.  Just a few cc's, but she puked like it was tons!  I drew up the medicine in the syringe and put it in her little thigh.  About 30 seconds after I withdrew the needle, the tiny baby screamed!  She was angry!  How could someone punch that thing in her leg?  I knew she would survive!

There are many parts of Andrea's story to tell.  I never planned to adopt her.  I didn't know I would love her so or that her mother would not be able to care for her. 

This little angel has made a place in our lives.  She has brought us such joy.  The miracle of her survival is our miracle.  How she came back after her mother took her again is a miracle.  The long years of the adoption process have come and gone and now she is a part of the American dream. Our future is bright.  Her future is bright.

Andrea, we love you more than you will ever know.  Love, Dad and Mom

Happy Birthday, Ashleigh

Dearest Asheligh,

I can't believe it's been 20 years!  We went to the hospital that time for the last time.  Your mom was exhausted and was so tired of the medications they were using to stop the labor.  We figured you were very close to due, anyway.  When Dr. Radell wanted to try yet one more medication, I got tears in my eyes and told him (out of earshot of your mother), "It's time to let God make the decision.  My daughter can't take anymore of this.  Please, just let her be." 

Of course, the decision was hers, but I know that the doctor listened to both of us.  Your mom was ready to let you come, too.  I went to the chapel to pray.  I didn't pray all that much then, but I was afraid.  My little girl was about to have a baby.  I sat there crying until Aunt Donna came to get me.  I felt so helpless.  I wonder if my mom felt that way when she knew I was having a baby the first time.

I went back into the labor room with Donna.  The doctor had broken your mom's water.  It took some time, but finally we were taken to the delivery room.  Your Uncle John was just outside the door, jumping up to look through the window. Your mom was quiet.  She would look to me and nod, then push.  I looked in the mirror and saw your head with a mixture of joy and fear.  Your mom pushed and out you came . . . a perfect baby girl!  You were pink and wonderful.  It wasn't til later that they said they would have to transfer you to the neonatal unit. 

Your poor mom was so distressed.  We took her to the hospital to see you.  We gowned up and went in and were taken aback  by how tiny you now were.  You lost some of your birth weight and were now supported by a respirator and tubes everywhere.  We rubbed your tiny little back and told you how we loved you and how perfect you were.  The neonatal people said you were just 32 weeks and would likely be hospitalized for two months or more.  We were in shock, but accepted their word. 

Late that afternoon, you took a turn for the worse.  They said you might not make it.  Our hearts were heavy and I called everyone I knew and asked them to pray.  In the morning, I went to see my sister Charlotte and was afraid to call the hospital.  We knew you were critical and each time the phone rang, there was fear.  I was crying when I got to Charlotte's house.  She said your mom had called.  I called her and to our amazement, you had turned around again and were on room air!  We went to see you again.  Still on the respirator, they said your level of oxygen was down to normal and they might try to take the respirator off the next day.

Next day, while your mom was having a procedure done at the hospital, you were transferred to another hospital.  When I called there to see if you had arrived, they had taken you off the respirator and had given you your first feeding!  Oh!  What joy to report to your mother! 

The 2 months never happened.  You were only in the hospital for 12 days.  You were just 4 lbs and some ounces when we took you home.  We had to buy Cabbage Patch doll clothes for you because even the tiniest baby clothes were way too big for you. 

Ashleigh, your birth was the beginning of a new phase of my life for me and the beginning fo a new relationship between me and your mom.  I have never been more proud of her than when you were born.  All the strikes were against her and she stuck to her guns and brought a wonderful baby girl into the world. 

Now I have lots of grandchildren . . . but you were the first.  For me, it was more than special.  I love you so much, baby.  

Of all the things a mom looks for

When her kids are small

There?s not a thing to compare

To the greatest gift of all

 

Time slows down and moms and kids

Butt heads and argue and fight

Parents are mean and stubborn

And will never see the light.

 

Then comes the day when there?s a change

The kids are grown and gone.

The nest seems empty and so it is

Until grandkids come along.

 

The right of passage comes to us all

On different days and times

The day you came to grace the earth

Was the day the passage was mine.

 

Once forever ?Mom?, now forever ?Grandma?

Ashleigh my dear, I tell you true

When I passed from Mom to ?Grandma,

The gift God gave was you.

 

Blessings to you on this special day with love from Grandpa Rob, Grandma and Andrea

                                                     

New Toys

I'm trying out the new keyboard that Rob bought for me this afternoon.  It's wirekess!  I can sit with the keyboard on my lap, my feet up and type to my heart's content.  We kept waiting for the price to go down and it finally did!  I'm so excited.  Oftentimes when I am typing, my feet go to sleep from being in one position for so long.  Now I can be as lazy as I like and still work on the computer.  It als came with a wireless mouse, so now I can lie in bed and play Pogo.     ;0

I got good news from the GI doctor this afternoon.  The biopsies came back clear, so I don't have to see him for 3 months.  I am still waiting for the biopsy of my neck and when that is done, I am good to go.I'm really relieved to hear this. 

We are preparing for Andrea's 11th birthday on Friday.  It will be the first birthday ever shared in this way.  She's always had a house full of kids around to help.  We want to make this day very special for her. We are going to take her to see the movie "Robots" and then have cake and jello ( am Mexican favorite) here at home.  She'll get her gifts then, too.  I hope to have pictures to share with you all.

On a more somber note, I'd like to ask for prayers for my older daughter.  She's having a very tough time right now.  She's wonderful girl and we love her and are praying for things to resolve quickly for her.

Obsessed

So I go to Pogo to play games and they have a new one called Lottso!  I check it out and get obsessed.  I mean totally obsessed. It's nothing special, just a lottery kind of game that you play in groups.  But there it is . . . I keep going back to it. 

Gone for the moment is the day when solitare rules me, or gin or cribbage.  And you practically have to fight to get in a room.  I'm not the only one obsessed with the game, that's for sure.  At each age group, they have all these rooms filled with 20 people playing Lottso!  I know I've gone off the deep end.

I did get off my butt to clean the house and wash a few clothes today, but wandered back in here a little while ago . . .justified.  NOW I can play!  I made a birthday dessert for Hank, tortilla soup for the man I love and cleaned the bird cages as well.  The letter for the ministry is written and sent and I am ready to obsess again. 

Am I the only one?  Or is someone else out there secretly obsessed with a game on the computer?  Come on . . .you know you want to tell.  I'll keep your secret  . .

CAPITAL LETTERS?

Oh, the frustration of it all!  Andrea is learning how to write a simple sentence in English.  The instructions are easy:  start the sentence with a capital letter, end with a period or question mark.  Poor Andrea!  She wrote the sentences.  Again and again.  One of the sentences was a question starting with the word "how"  She didn't capitalize it.  Six times she was sent back to capitalize it with a break to write the alphabet in both types of letters.  This is how she solved the problem:

                            h

I'm sorry, I had to hide to keep from cracking up!  A bigger "h" is a capital letter!  Oh my goodness!  She was in tears and Rob and I were hiding . . .

I know she thinks we are awful, but Mexico never taught her punctuation and now we have to deal with it.  Pray for us, please - she's got a lot of sentences to write.

Good morning all!  I don't what's up with me, but I have been sleeping in lately.  Rob says it's after effects of the anesthesia, but it's been more than 2 weeks now.  I think it's just my time to feel and act a little lazy.  Usually, I'm up by 7 am and ready to go.

I got a job offer the other day!  I haven't had a "real" job for many years - about 17.  Of course, being the director of a children's home in a foreign country is technically a job, but it was something I did for God, and I never felt it was "work" if you know what I mean. 

Our pastor has a job opening in the office of the storage place he works and he wants me to take the job.  Rob and I have prayed about it and feel this is our next step.  It will be wierd for me, but I kinda like the idea.  Andrea hates it - she says moms are supposed to stay home and dads are supposed to go out to work.  Boy did she get some news when I told her about her brother John, his wife, Krissy and their daughter Athena!  As you all know, John is the one who stays home with Athena.  This is not to say he doesn't work, just that stereotypes don't cut it anymore.

We told Hank about the job offer and asked him to keep his eyes peeled for a 2nd car for us.  We had a car and truck, but the truck went back to Mexico to live.  On Sunday, we were talking to the pastor and his wife about their new car and she said she had to get rid of her other one.  Rob asked how much she would sell it for and she said she would give us the car!  We are thrilled.  It's a gas hog, but will only be used for emergencies anyway.

It just feels like God is setting the stage for us.  We get out of the way and take the necessary steps and He directs the action.  I'm grateful that I'm not as resistant as I was when I was young!

Have a blessed day!