My baby sister Ann turned 50 today. Where have all the years gone? It seems like yesterday we were kids growing up in a small town in Kansas with no worries except what we were going to do for the day - play outside or play with our paper dolls inside. Ann and I were talking today and remembering all the fun things we used to do as kids - climbing trees, making tents in the back yard, playing with our toy horses in the yard, playing with our paper dolls and our Barbie dolls. And what imaginations we had - we could go for days playing the same thing. We may not have had a lot of material things, but we had each other and a loving family and we might not have known it then, but we were definitely blessed.
Now we are all grown up (well pretty much grown up!!). I wish I could have been with Ann today to celebrate her birthday. But I think she knows I was there with her in thought and spirit. I prayed for a beautiful birthday and I think my prayers were answered. I hope she realizes how much her family loves her and also that her family realizes how much she loves us!! Ann has been blessed with a wonderful husband, Al and a beautiful stepdaughter, Jessica, and her husband Murphy & his daughter Rio. And Ann's newest blessing and gift is Jess and Murphy's baby girl - Taryn. Family is such a beautiful and wonderful gift from God and such a gift is to be treasured always.
I truly miss not living close to my family. I miss that more than anything. But I know they are all always there for me and I hope they all know I am always there for them. But today on Ann's 50th birthday - I wish I could have been there to give a super big hug and spend the day celebrating. Instead - my prayers have been with my "baby sister" "Annie Pandannie" "Anna Banana" "Baby Ann". I love you baby sister and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
"Father, thank you for my sister Ann. Thank you for the wonderful childhood we had together and the love we have for one another. Thank you also for our family - our sisters and brother and all our family members who mean so much to us all. You have blessed this family with love and with your presence. Father, I ask that you continue to bless Ann and keep her healthy and safe and help her to feel Your presence always. In Jesus' Name. Amen"
The clouds look like it might rain, don't they? They have been building up all evening. It has been rumbling and we have seen lightning all evening. Then the sun broke through. Then it started to cloud up again and it got dark. Now it is rumbling again - and getting louder. But still it has not rained. We need rain so badly. We are definitely in a drought - we get sporadic rain showers but nothing lasting. Everything is so dry - our grass is brown and "crunchy". Our hydrangeas wilt every day and our flowers will never be the same. And the temperatures - we have had over 34 days straight of 90+ degree heat. And this week it has hit 100 and 100+ for about 3-4 days in a row. That is extremely hot for this part of the country. So, yes, we tend to get excited when we see storm clouds rolling through. Please let it rain and give us some much needed rainfall. Maybe, just maybe, tonight will be the night we get some rain.
Is this not the most pitiful look you have ever seen?? Poor little Tiki - she has a "lampshade" on her head. She looks like she is being severely punished for something.
Tiki had a small knot removed from her left leg Friday. She is usually a very good patient but this time before we even left the hospital, she had torn open the incision. So back she went for staples and then the dreaded "e-collar". The e-collar keeps the patient from reaching the surgery site with their mouth. Most dogs absolutely hate it. In fact ALL dogs absolutely hate it. And Tiki was no exception. She went to work with me today with the collar on. But I took it off before lunch and she was very good the rest of the day and even now - late evening - she has not bothered the site at all. I guess she knows what will happen if she does. And people say they are "dumb animals". I don't think so!!!
Who would believe it? Most people would not or could not. But again - the Lord has given us another miracle with little Fancy. A month ago her blood test was very, very bad - all her liver values, her pancreas values and some kidney values were EXTREMELY elevated. We weaned her off her phenobarbital (seizure medication) and she has now been off for 3 weeks. She is on a liver supplement and on potassium bromide (a different type of seizure medication). We did another blood test yesterday to see if the liver values were a little better. And YES - God answered our prayers again. Not only were they better - they were all in the NORMAL range!!! The only thing still a little high were her pancreas values and they were improved!!! This little dog has been through one medical crisis after another - and she comes through fighting and doing better. And some people would say - she is only a dog but our 4-legged "girls" were and are our family. Losing two of them has been very difficult, but we are so thankful and blessed that Tiki is doing well and Fancy is definitely improving again. "Thank you Lord for hearing our prayers and once again showing us you are there for us always. Someday your answers may not be the ones we want to hear but today you have given us a blessing in Fancy's improved health. I love you Lord!!"
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - MY SWEET LITTLE GIRL!! I STILL REALLY MISS YOUR SWEET LITTLE FACE - THE WAY YOU USED TO JUMP IN MY LAP AND STARE INTO MY FACE AS IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WAS REALLY ME!! I MISS THE WAY YOU WOULD PATIENTLY WAIT TILL I CRAWLED INTO BED AND THEN WOULD CURL UP NEXT TO MY SIDE TO SLEEP. I MISS THE WAY YOU WOULD JUMP UP AND BOUNCE OFF MY BACK SIDE WHEN IT WAS TIME TO EAT. I MISS THE CUTE WAY I COULD GET YOU TO WAVE BYE (OF COURSE A TREAT WAS USUALLY INVOLVED!) THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE HAPPY MEMORIES OF YOU THAT I WANT TO REMEMBER TODAY. YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN 15 YEARS OLD. TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO THINK YOU ARE IN HEAVEN, WITH MOM, TAKING A WALK IN PARADISE AND SLEEPING IN MOM'S LAP LATER. I MISS YOU THEA BUT YOU WILL ALWAYS LIVE IN MY HEART AND MEMORIES FOREVER. LOVE - "MOM"
