Merrie Sunshine

  I promised myself I would put this in every time I posted to this journal.  This posting will be a testament to my Aunt Merrie, who died of breast cancer.

Going out to visit Aunt Merrie was the highlight of my young life. A trip from Pasadena to Tarzana without the present freeways. My mom always knew the way, although it seemed we would "get lost" on our way home.  Sometimes past Liberace's home with a piano-shaped pool.  However, I digress.

My Aunt Merrie had two sons, both a little older than myself.  Her home was like a long ranch house with a breezeway inbetween the house and the garage.  It had a circular driveway. Oh! I loved that driveway. Even today I sometimes think about her magical house. 

Entering the front door, the first thin I saw was a Christmas tree hanging upside-down from the ceiling.  She had put it there one year when she and her oh-so-busy friends decided to have Christmas in July.  It seems common then, but back in the 50's it was an odd idea.  She never took the tree down.  It hung there at least until she and my Uncle Birch were divorced when I was a teen.

At the back of the home was her shop.  She sold novelty items there.  Not just any items, the best ones.  I would wander through the shop fascinated, until Aunt Merry called us to lunch.  Over lunch she would regale us with her tales of visitors to the shop.  Some, like the Andrews Sisters, came regularly and she would get all the gossip she could stand. It was wonderful to hear her talk of all the good times.  Eventually, she moved the shop into town somewhere.  Still the same great stuff.  One day while there, I looked up to see a very tall man.  I loved him!  It was Dennis Weaver who played "Chester" on Gunsmoke.  He signed his autograph for me andleaned down to give me a kiss on the cheek.  I vowed never to wash my cheek again.

When I was 20 years old, Aunt Merrie was diagnosed with breast cancer.  When she was told how serious it was, she exclaimed "NO!"  She had a double radical mastectomy and I guess some radiation.  She fought that cancer with all her physical might.  She gave up her shop, but not her activites.  She married a TV producer.  She called him "Mr. Wonderful"  They lovced each other with an intensity I had never seen before.

Aunt Merrie was named Mary at birth, but she was the happiest, sunniest baby my grandparents had ever seen.  They legally chaged her name to Merrie Sunshine.  I always thought that was so cool.  She never lost that personality.  Everybody loved her and treasured their time with her as did I.

When I was 25, Aunt Merrie had to go back into the hospital. Her cancer had come back, this time with a deadly diagnosis. She was most loved in the hospital.  She had her husband bring her shoots from this plant or that and she would get them going and present them to hospital personel.  She was also knitting and gifted them with her handiwork.  It was amazing how her attitude stayed so good when the suffering was so intense. 

Then one day she left to be with the Lord.  It was in November of that year.  I wasn't a little girl anymore, but I cried for missing her.  My mother, grandmother and sisters and I were there for both the formal sevices and the at-home services.  I will never forget the litany of people who came and spoke at the formal service.  It seemed it would never stop. 

Aunt Merrie's memory still lingers in my heart and sometimes I get misty as I am now when I think of her.

I love you my Aunt Merrie Sunshine! 

        

Sunday Morning

   

          Click, click . . . please                 

      

It's almost time for the girls to go to their Sunay class.  We join them for church about an hour later.  Two of the girls decided they had nothing to wear and would like to forego church. I can't tell you how many times I have felt that way myself.  However barring major illness, we dress ourselves and go. Then two of the three came out dressed nicely.  The third came out looking like little orphan annie.  After prayer, I asked her if she felt that outfit, wrinkled as it was, was something she felt would honor the Lord.  I asked her to find something more appropriate.  We ask the girls to wear skirts to church.  I know many people go in jeans, shorts, etc., but I was taught a different way and we need to teach them discipline and respect.

But that's not really what I was going to write about. As most of you know I am a Bible believing, Bible thumping servant of Christ.  No, I don't go from door to door shoving my Bible or my beliefs down people's throats.  I find that to be negative.  I am not afraid to share my beliefs with anyone who opens the door.  Often when the conversation turns to my time in Mexico, thee door opens as I tell them I was a missionary there.  It's amazing how many people want God in their life, but figure their sins are unique and God certainly could not forgive them. As I tell them what my life was like for a few years, they are stunned.  I just want them to see Jesus glowing through me.  I invite them to church or suggest a church near their home.  I'm not tooting my own horn.  There are many ways to show the Lord in our lives.This is the job of Christians everywhere.  We need to spread the Good news.  I find myself privileged to be able to do that. 

I pray today that you feel the presence of the Lord in your lives.  He brings solace in the middle of our sorrow, joy in every area of our lives.

               

No Drum Roll This Time - Heere's Sweetie!

It was kind of heart breaking to see that little Sweetie had been born with funny-looking wings.  You know how the other chicks are when some one is different.  Sweetie was much smaller than than the other two.  We were unsure if he would survive.  When we took the chicks out of the parent's cage, two went to one cage and little Sweetie came to a cage in our room.  I fed him with a feeding syringe.  And boy! was he persistant to ask for food, refusing the spoon or seed.  Today was the first real lesson with a spoon again.  I waited until I could hear his pitiful cries from the living room where I had placed him with his siblings.  I had fed him 15 cc's but he was "dying" or so he wanted me to think.  He grabbed at the spoon!  See below:

                                            

If you could have heard the sounds he was making while he ate, you would have fallen over laughing!  The girls and I heard those sounds(I put some tiny nestling seed in) I can't reproduce it here and laughed so loud! 

 

I let him eat as much as as he wanted.  He was stuffed and sleepy when he finished. 

The pictures below show you how his little wings were formed.

Do you see how he looks like he's wearing a cape?  His shoulders are up there by his neck.  Normally, wings form up there and open out into full beautiful wings. Sweetie's wings at first looked like they were broken somehow.  Then we realized the wings weren't in the right place.  His feathers were forming nicely, but every time he would try to flap his wings, they would get all tangled up in each other.

Even now, after the vet has done some trimming so he won't step on his wings, Sweetie wants to fly.  He jumps flapping headlong from my shoulders to the hard floor and flaps again, jumping to try to reach me again.  I love this precious chicklet as I have not loved a bird since my Dufus died.  I truly enjoy the other 18 **shudder** although they don't feel as special to me as my flightless Cockatiel.

May the Lord send His ministering angels to keep and protect you as you sleep

                         

                       

OK Krissy 5 Wierd Things About Me

  It's day six!  Go give your double clicks!

Krissy tagged me to do this.  First off, I am definitely NOT wierd.  So get that thought out of your mind, okay?

1.  I still sleep on the first pillow my mom ever gave me. It has had to have new ticking a few dozen times and it's feathers are getting yellow and old.  I took a few extra from a pillow I took apart and let them live with my feathers.  I just don't sleep well without it. 

2.  I like the feel of my hair in my ear while sleeping or resting. I don't know why or when this started, but you'd think I would outgrow it sometime.

3.  I love my collection of dolls.  Each time I buy or receive a new one, it has to sleep at least one nite in our bed.

4.  I (we) have 19 birds and I let my favorite birds take food bits from my mouth.  Only 3 right now, LOL.

.. . . . and lastly, this from my adorable Rob:

5.  I can stay in bed for hours and hours (he said 10, but I don't think so) using my computer.  I write, play games, pay bills, play games, purchase a few things, play games, read journals and comment, play games, send off a few e-mails, play games, play games, play games . . .

See?  I told you I am definitely NOT wierd.

                       

 

DRUM ROLL, PLEASE

  BEFORE THE EXCITEMENT . . . .

                                   DID YOU CLICK TODAY?

 

   I have something asolutely wonderful  to show you.

Well before I show it, here's some other news:  I was able to take my deformed cockatiel to the vet today thanks to the generosity of our local Humane Society.  We had no money in the budget for his care, so the vet's office had me call the Humane Society.  They faxed a voucher for his appointment and we had great results.  Uh, more on that later.

                           DRUM ROLL, PLEASE!

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                                are you still here?

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                         ok, I can't stand it anymore:

         

                 Isn't my ring set beautiful????!!!!

                      Oh, and I have one more:

                       

                See ?    Made for me!     I LOVE IT!!!!!    

                                   

Fall in My Home Town :)

 Don't forget to click!

It's fall where I live, except you don't see much evidence of it.  The days are still warm(mostly) and the colors don't seem to change much.  Mornings and evenings are crisp and often chilly with lots of ocean fog.  We have begun to put our blankets back on our beds. I have NO idea what it would be like to live where it snows.  I might expire :)

Some 8 or 10 miles away, there are remnants of the Day Fire, which took 21 days to contain.  We were covered with ash and the pungent smell of smoke.  Here in the autumn it is fire season. The risks are high this year because we didn't get enough rain last year.  Despite earthquakes and fires I think we live in one of the most beautiful cities and the most beautiful state.  I know you will disagree for various reasons.  But this is where the Lord has planted me and where I will joyfully stay.

Now that I have found (well, Rob found it) my camera, I will be taking a picture of that ring and my little crippled cockatiel for you to see.  More about my Sweetie bird with the picture.

I pray blessings upon you this day and evening.  I pray you experience a closeness with the Lord that makes all else look small in comparison.  It is God himself who made the trees, land, animals, birds and us.  My prayer for myself is that I not stray and for you, if you haven't discovered Him that you find Him this day.

                   

Thanks Deb for this wonderful tag!

                     

 

 

 

Breast Cancer Awareness

                   

This is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You can go here to see the website and more importantly, click to help fund mammograms for those who can't afford it.  This so important and each daily click is worth two regular clicks.  So go on over and click.  Tell your friends to click.  I know others before me have said this as well.  Tell me, did you go there? Have you had your mammogram?  Or are you like me and have put it off?  I had a breast lump removed early this year.  It was benign and I am grateful it has been removed.

Let's all pray every day for those who have breast cancer.  If you don't know someone who has or has succumbed to breast cancer, pray for all of them.  This is a disease that can be prevented.  It's up to us to be fully aware.  My dear aunt had breast cancer, was a five year survivor and got it again.  When she passed away 32 years ago, there wasn't enough known.  Today, she would likely have been a long-term survivor. 

Okay, off the soap box.  I hope you didn't get bored and leave. This is the 6th day of our anniversary week.  I got a present from Rob that was so wonderful I am still jazzed about it.  When we married 5 years ago, we had rings that we purchased in Mexico.  They were just right for us at the time.  Mine was a gold band and a solitaire engagement ring.  Some where during our second year, we promised each other to get new ones for our 5th anniversary.  I got his for him in April when we were flush.  When the budget got smaller, I realized that this wouldn't be the time for me to get new rings.  Then the impossible happened:  he got me rings anyway!  As soon as I find my camera, I will post some pictures of the set.  Am I boasting? You bet!  I have waited all my life for something this beautiful. I never really dreamed I could have them, but my honey gave them to me on Friday.  I still can't stop looking at my hand ::grinning:: 

I am so blessed to have Rob as a husband and our three girls to complete our family.  We don't expect to be rich, but will take all the Lord has to offer to us.  Thank you again, Lord Jesus knitting us together. 

Be blessed today, my friends.  I love you all.