Just dropping in to say hi
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Posted:Jan 26, 2008 8:35 am
Last Updated:May 29, 2008 8:21 pm 19522 Views
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Hello to all my BC friends. I've been away for quite a while, it seems. Life has been very busy, but I just felt like I needed some time away. But I miss all of you and wonder what's been happening while I was gone.
I guess the biggest thing in my life lately has been my parents and their movement into another stage of life. My dad discovered that he has cancer, and my mom (who has Alzheimer's) was placed in an assisted living facility. She has had a lot of trouble adjusting--it was supposed to be a temporary thing, but now it looks like it may become permanent. I feel so badly for her, but don't really know how to help.
Also, my family has downsized until I have just one at home. (During the summer, we were 7 for a while!) Levi is 15, he is a quiet ; he homeschools himself, working on his GED, and doing stuff on his computer. So our lives have become very quiet these days. I don't mind...quiet suits me. And now I finally have enough room in my house to unpack and spread out, especially all my books. I get to have one room just for an office/library. I've unpacked books that I haven't seen for years and had a great time getting re-acquainted.
I also had fun redecorating one room to be my bedroom/guest room. It is a small room at the back of the house, part of an add-on. When my moved out, I started re-doing it. I used 10 tubes of caulk to seal all the cracks, edges, window facings, etc. (That was a very drafty room--no more!) Then I painted everything pristine glossy white, and threw white glitter into the wet paint to make the walls sparkle. I stenciled some roses and vines around the windows. Around the edges of the ceiling, I strung white mini-lights and ivy vines, then tucked red roses into the vines. The whole room is decorated in shades of red and green, and rose decorations. It's gorgeous! And I had a lot of fun doing it.
I've been struggling with my kidney stones again quite a bit. It seems that the only thing that helps is to rest a lot. So I find myself resting a lot, what can I say? But I have my good days.
Well, drop in and say hi, and tell me what YOU have been up to for the last couple of months.
Love you all,
Merry
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:( Missing my Baby :(
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Posted:Sep 24, 2007 6:24 pm
Last Updated:Jan 26, 2008 8:01 am 19338 Views
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My youngest (Joey, age 13) went to live with his dad the first of July. It was a difficult decision, but I allowed him to because he was becoming increasingly difficult to handle. He did need a man's touch; I just hope his dad's touch is gentler than it used to be.
Although they live only a few miles away, I rarely see Joey now. He goes to school in a different town, and spends many nights and weekends with his friends. He is supposed to spend 2 weekends a month with me, but he usually has plans that are much more exciting than spending time with mom. So I haven't pushed. But I think I need to, because I feel like I am losing touch with him.
In his whole 13 years, we had rarely spent time apart from each other. After the divorce, he spent 3 weekends a month at his dad's house, but we were together every week night. We would visit until 11:00 p.m.; that was our "light's out" time. He made a game of talking to me until exactly 11 o'clock. But I loved having this closeness and conversation.
Our relationship started to fall apart when a young girl moved in across the street. She has probably been sexually abused at some point (she lives with a mom and two siblings and all the have different fathers) because she is sexually very precocious. She fastened on Joey as the object of her affection. He was "twitterpated" to quote Thumper the rabbit from "Bambi." He started sneaking around, lying, using his friends and whatever ways he could to be with her. I was afraid for him, so I sent him to live with his dad.
I understand how much he enjoys it there. Dad lives on a farm; Joe gets to drive trucks and tractors, go fishing and hunting, etc. and he is all boy--he loves it. He is playing football for the first time this year and loving that.
So how does a Mom, who has little in the way of excitement to offer, keep her wanting to spend time with her? I spend my weekends resting much of the time, due to health issues. I am "boring." *Rolls eyes*
Every once in a while, he runs in the door for a minute, gives me a hug and a kiss, and is gone again in the blink of an eye. That's about all the contact we've had since the first of July. He did spend one night, but the next day wanted to go on to his friend's house for the rest of the weekend.
Well, pardon my rambling. Does anyone have any ideas on how an "old lady" can get her teenage to enjoy spending time with her at least one weekend a month?
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## STUNG ##
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Posted:Sep 24, 2007 5:48 pm
Last Updated:Sep 29, 2007 7:28 pm 18639 Views
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Wow, I was trimming my rose-of-sharon hedge this evening and got stung by a caterpillar. I didn't even see it, just brushed by it as I was removing a handful of clipped branches. I had taken my glove off to slip my fingers through the handle of the trimmer.
I just felt this tremendous sting and burning sensation. When I looked to see what I had touched, a green caterpillar covered with spines was curled up in a circle on a leaf near where I had been clipping. I cut it in half and watched it drop to the ground so I could come back and identify it later.
Then I ran inside and ran cold water over my hand for a while. After that, I washed it with Tech-nu poison ivy cleanser, and used some caladryl lotion on it, then ice packed it.
While I was waiting for the pain to subside, we went back outside and found the caterpillar carcass and brought it inside. Then I looked it up on the internet. It is an Io Moth caterpillar, pictured above. If you ever see one, don't touch!
The article suggested using a piece of scotch tape to pull out the bristles and that helped the pain. Now, about 30 minutes later, it hardly hurts, but it is still red and swollen. But according to the article , allergic reactions can range from mild (like mine) to needing medical treatment. If stung in the eye, blindness can result.
So wear your leather gloves when trimming the hedge! I will next time!
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It's Here!
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Posted:Sep 23, 2007 5:36 pm
Last Updated:Sep 25, 2007 7:34 pm 19746 Views
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My favorite season of the year is finally here--autumn! We've had a few cool nights, a few crisp days, a few leaves starting to turn colors, but soon we'll be into autumn full-swing and I can't wait!
I love it when I can turn off the a/c and leave the windows open at night, feeling the cool air drift over me, and even snuggling into the blankets as the chilly morning comes.
I love the misty mornings, and the look of the gold and scarlet leaves against the dark gray of the sky. Intricate spider webs are illuminated with jeweled drops. Geese trumpet overhead in the mist as they head for the south.
I love cooking again, when it's cool enough in the house that you enjoy putting a roast in the oven, and a loaf of bread in the bread maker and filling the kitchen with the rich warm smell of meat and the tantilizing aroma of fresh bread. Spicy pumpkin or apple pie are favorites this time of year.
So...what do you love about autumn?
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d*i*e today
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Posted:Sep 2, 2007 1:03 pm
Last Updated:Sep 16, 2007 6:27 pm 18982 Views
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That was supposedly part of the message written on a chalkboard in our local grade school. It was a b-o-m-b threat. The school, which is only three blocks from my home, was evacuated. None of my attend this school anymore, but it was scary nevertheless. Our small town has only a few people--they are struggling to find ways to keep the grade school open. We always think, "that wouldn't happen in my town." But it did. I doubt that it was serious, but it has to be treated that way. And other b-o-m-b threats, in small schools like ours have been serious.
But one thing it did make me know is how protective I suddenly felt toward my , even though they weren't there. Also how much I worried about all the who were there that I know--my pastor's , other from church, neighbor , etc. We sure take it for granted that a small school in a tiny town is a safe place for to be.
I guess the only safe place to be is not really a place. It is being in Christ, and having Christ in us. Then, no matter whether we live or d*i*e, we are safe--safe with our Lord.
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What do you do?
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Posted:Aug 25, 2007 9:29 am
Last Updated:Sep 8, 2007 9:59 am 19187 Views
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What do you do while waiting for your pages to load on Big Church? 
Keep a book handy?
Browse other web sites?
Fix a cuppa?
Clean the house?
Catch up on your correspondence?
Go to town and do your shopping?
Catch a few Zzzzzz..... 
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Who am I and why am I here?
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Posted:Aug 20, 2007 6:05 pm
Last Updated:Jan 26, 2008 10:45 am 19455 Views
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I used to be a wife. Not anymore. I used to be a teacher. Not so much anymore. I used to be a mother. Still am, but my "mothering" skills are not required very often.
I used to define myself in those terms: wife, mother, teacher. Now it seems my roles are changing, and I am in the middle of trying to figure out just who I am, and what my purpose in the remaining years of my life should be.
Sometimes I feel like a hamster on an exercise wheel, or a leaf caught in an eddy--spinning around and around, but never going anywhere, never accomplishing anything worthwhile.
Anybody else ever feel that way? How do you approach the task of redefining yourself as your life changes?
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Been gone a while...just dropping in
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Posted:May 28, 2007 5:47 pm
Last Updated:Aug 14, 2007 6:22 pm 19109 Views
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Hello, BC land. Just stopping by to say hi once. I enjoy shoutlife, but I miss some people here on BC and there are certain things about this blogging style that I like better.
I guess I've been gone a little over a month...What's been happening over here? Somebody catch me up a little bit, OK?
I've been well, feeling good, keeping busy. A young friend of mine, who has been taking care of her disabled mother for many years, moved in with me a few weeks ago when her mother died suddenly of a heart attack. She has a 10-year-old . It is different having extra people in the house, but on the whole, we have adjusted well. She is not able to return to her former home due to the presence of another person there who would take the opportunity to mo-lest her.
I would ask for your prayers as we continue to adjust to living with each other, (7 people sharing one bathroom  ), work at helping her find a job and a safe housing situation.
Stop by and say howdy!
Merry
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Hungry?
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Posted:Apr 25, 2007 11:25 am
Last Updated:Jun 17, 2007 3:21 pm 19697 Views
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For several days, I have felt restless. I feel hungry, but not in a physical sense; I walk around looking for something to satisfy my hunger, but nothing does.
Anybody else ever feel that way?
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Stormy Day in the Heartland: Is everybody OK?
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Posted:Apr 24, 2007 5:00 pm
Last Updated:Apr 27, 2007 12:57 pm 19279 Views
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Wow, we've had some pretty wild weather in Kansas today, and it's not over. Lots of severe thunderstorms, even some tornadoes. Eastern Colorado had several tornado warnings, so did Oklahoma and Texas. Are all y'all OK?
We have had some strong wind, which sent my running to the neighbors, because I was still at work. They said the trees were bending down to the ground.
I'm so glad God is lookin' out for us!
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