Disney, DIsney, DIsney

For those of you who do not share my love of all things Disney...you can stop reading this post!


Now, that we have just the Disney lovers here.  We are going to Disney!  Well, yeah, I guess you already knew that!  But we are going a few months earlier than we had planned,  We are leaving the Saturday after Thanksgiving and returning December 6.

If my research is right, the crowds should be lower, the Christmas decorations and lights should be in place, and it is Disney at over a thousand dollars cheaper!

Now, on my agenda for today.....

• Deposit check into account so I can make the deposit
• Check out the sale Joann's is having and use my fantastic 20% off coupon to get some Christmas fabrics
• plan Disney Christmas dresses
• change my countdown ticker for all the boards
• oh yeah...take Dami to therapy!

It is going to be a great day!

Nini

Why is it, whenever you go away from your routine...something terrible happens? I ALWAYS either plug in my phone at night to recharge, or set it on the bedside table (depending on if hubby is working or at home).  Last night I didn't do that...the last time I had my phone I was sitting on the sofa talking with my daughter...

In the middle of the night, I thought about my phone....not enough to get out of bed for...but I did think about it.

This morning, my phone has ran away...battery is too weak to actually get a call through, so it is G O N E !!!!!

Unless 'someone' helped it, it could not have left the living room.  I doubt it had enough battery left to grow either wings or legs.   I have removed all cushions (twice) and moved the sofa.  Still no phone.  I have looked under, around, and through all tables in the living room.  Still no phone. I have gone through everything on my desk (no easy feat!!).  Still no phone.

So, I'm guessing my phone has ran off to live with the Game Boy...they both became missing after last being seen on the sofa.

...so, if you see a phone and a Game Boy running down the street like they don't have a care in the world...please tell them to go home!  We need them and miss them!  ...maybe even love them.

Nini

Christmas count

So, Christmas has come and gone.  Let's do a Christmas count, shall we?

Moon Sand - almost out the door.  What was Santa thinking???? The remaining Moon Sand will be vacuumed up today...hope fully.  It seems to multiply in the dark!

Legos - another bad Santa idea!  They are much smaller than I remember them being!  Half of them have disappeared into parts unknown.  Trying to get them picked up...

Game Boy - has ran off to parts unknown.  Possibly a Lego accomplice.  Game Boy was last seen running scared into the dark shortly after being opened!  We have a BOLO out for im, hoping to see him again after the bedroom is cleanish!

Tinker Bell game for DS system.  Was missing on Christmas morning.  She was found at the local Game Stop store, hiding in a store drawer.  Seems the new store clerk didn't realize he needed to pull her out and put her in a box before leaving the store.  She came with a $25.00 gift certificate for Game Stop.  (I guess that was the reward for coming to claim her!)

Christmas ornaments - another 4 broken trying to get them off the tree (only 2 were broken getting them on the tree and another two mysteriously 'fell' off the tree at some point) and the tree is only half un-decorated!

Dogs - Our 10 year old German Shepherd died over the Christmas weekend. Husband is devastated, younger kids don't quite get it, older kids are upset.  We are NOT getting a replacement!

Pounds- I did good.  Actually came out three under where I started on Wednesday evening...still have to loose the 20 to get where I was before our September trip to Disney!


....now off to start thinking of New Years Resolutions...


Nini

Helen's Funeral

This is the email I sent to my Dad telling him of the funeral.  I can't bear to re-write something for here, so I will just copy and paste.


We had Helen's Funeral yesterday.  Due to the expected high numbers, they had to move the funeral service to Snellville Church of Christ.  It holds 600.  It was almost filled to capacity.  The funeral procession to the graveside in Athens (40 Miles away) was so long, at no time could you see both ends at the same time.  By the time the last cars were there, the first half were already standing by the graveside.

The funeral was beautiful and moving.  Kristy (mom) was able to temporarily leave Shepherd's Spinal Center for attendance.  While there were tears, she almost looked like the old Kristy!  Her beautiful smile was still there.  Her motorized wheels served her well.

Helen's grandfather read a children's story that her aunt \wrote, called "H is for Helen".  It was a child's version of Helen's first day in Heaven, where she met Noah, Jonah, Mary and Jesus.  Those were her favorite Bible stories during her short life.  

Helen's father, Brian, spoke a few minutes on what Helen's short life meant, and why she had to live.  He spoke with tears, and joy.  While his heart was breaking, as was evident by his tears, he managed to give a short sermon on why her life was so short, and all the good she managed to do during her short time on earth. More importantly, he managed to make US feel better.  Better that we had known Helen, but more importantly better because we knew what we had to do to get to where Helen was.  

Our preacher, Bro Larry, gave a short sermon (and for Bro. Larry that was no short feate!  Short and Sermon are never two words you use together in describing him!) In it he used Damien as an example of how children have a better handle on death than adults do.  I knew the story was coming, but that did not keep me from being hit hard by it.  (Amanda, Tasha, and Darlene however did not know it was coming and it hit them pretty hard too.)

We had multiple prayers led by Helen's uncles and grand fathers, and the congregational singing of some of Helen's favorite songs led by another uncle.  

It was very evident to see that Helen came from a very special family...almost every male in her family is a preacher.  One of her grandfathers is an elder and two cousins are deacons.  

She will be deeply missed.

Jeanne

Here it is ...Friday.  It has been a very busy and eventful week.  Next week promises to be just as busy, but hopefully not as eventful.

I'll make a separate post for Helen's funeral, so the remainder of this post will be about the other 6 days of this past week!

Mr D's doctor's appointment was even more stressful.  I was expecting her to say he had not gained any more weight.  After all, it was only 2 and a half weeks since our last appointment.  Nope!  He gained another 2 and a half pounds and grew another inch and a half in height! Yes, in less than 3 weeks!  Now she is thinking thyroid issues instead of diabetes.  Waiting on blood tests to see where that leads us. Another scary find was a severe heart murmur!  None of the million and two doctors he sees regularly have ever heard that.  So, we are off to the pediatric cardiologist this afternoon.

I've been able to get most of my sewing done.  I have one window treatment to get finished, but I decided to add a few more things to the mix!  I found this cute (and very easy) pattern for an apron...so of course we  all need a new apron for Christmas...

In one week it will officially be Christmas...I wonder if I will ever get the house decorated?  Probably not!  I have to get everything ready for the family Christmas celebration coming up on Monday.  Since Tasha will be taking the kids on Sunday for a 'secret project' I'm hoping I can get the last of my wrapping done.  Of course, that means I CAN'T take a nap when I get home from Sunday Services!

Nini

Will everything be ready for Christmas in time?

Well, let's see...I have finished the 8 wall hangings with the snowman for all the teachers/therapists.  (still need gifts for about 4 more Sunday School teachers). Finished the quilt for my Dad and Step Mom.  Got the quilt for my son on the frame.  Have the window treatment almost finished.  Have the tree decorated, but nothing else in the house is decorated.  Have, maybe 1/4 of the shopping done.  Absolutely NO wrapping done.

Twelve more days to get everything finished...of course we haven't even started thinking about Christmas baking!  We know we will need cookies for Santa at a minimum.  We usually do lots of baking, and give some of it to teachers/therapists as gifts. This year, I just haven't had the time!

Starting on Monday, we have at least one, usually two doctor appointments every day until Christmas Eve!  At the very least, we will be baking cookies on Christmas Eve!

Now, I just have to come up with gifts for the other 4 teachers and something for Amanda and Korey...I REALLY am at a loss for that one!

I love this time of year!

Nini

Funeral Arrangements

The funeral for Helen will be on December 16 @ the Snellville Church of Christ. The address is 3005 Lenora Church Rd. Snellville Ga 30035. Visitation will be from 10-11:30 EST. The funeral will be at 12:00. The procession will be going to Athens GA for the graveside service @ Evergreen Memorial Park 3655 Atlanta Hwy Athens GA 30606. If you wish to send flowers, please send to Wages Funeral Home 3705 Hwy 78 Snellville, GA 30035.

Updates....and is Christmas REALLY coming up that fast?

Kristy's Lap quilt is coming along...I finally have a clear design in my head and actually have a few moments to sew....when I ran out of fabric!

So, after The Princess is up I will run to the fabric store.  I need to have all the fabric I need to complete the next two or three quilts so I can just go and not stop to think about what is on hand.

With Christmas coming up, I'm getting worried that I won't be able to get everything done in time!  I have a king and a queen size quilt that is pieced, but still needs to be quilted.  I have a window treatment that needs to be made...I actually think I have all the parts needed..oh wait I need to get the strings and rings.

I was planning on making everyone warm flannel pjs...but that ain't happening!  I cannot see that I will have the time to even get them started, much less finished!  And...I still have all those teacher gifts to finish!  (I do think the plan of using my scraps was a good idea, just need to get the time to sit down at the quilter and get them done.)

Kristy's surgery went well, but I am hearing/seeing conflicting reports as to just how successful it was.  I want very much to stay optimistic about the outcome, but at the same time be realistic so I am not thrown back into the depths of the despair I was feeling for them!  The important thing is she made it through the surgery and is looking forward to the next step in her recovery!

Hug you loved ones....

Nini

Lap Quilts

I am in the need of inspiration for making my friend a lap robe.  She is having her surgery today, and although we will pray for the best possible outcome, we know that she will be in a wheelchair for a good deal of her recovery.

I have some cute LadyBug squares that I purchased a year or so ago from that auction site.  When I got them, they were cute, but not exactly what I was looking for...truthfully I don't even remember what I was going to use them for!  I used one of the squares last weekend to make a book bag for Amanda's Kindel, but still have several left over.

Since Miss Kristy was in the same social club as Amanda, she has the same love of LadyBugs so it seemed natural.

I've been doing research on lap quilts and lap robes today, and most of what I have found are very institutional and well, ugly!  They are made like an apron.  Not very stylish.  I'll concede that they may be functional.

My thoughts have turned to something she can use later, like on the back of the sofa.  I'm thinking along the lines of a rectangle, with a lady bug in each corner and four more dispersed through out the quilt.  I'm thinking of using some of the red and black scraps from Michael's Christmas quilt (I can say that here...he doesn't even KNOW I have a blog!).  I just have to work out some of the details (like the fabric strips are too narrow to work with the pattern I had in mind).

I also want to make her an encouragement quilt.  This will be along the lines of an autograph quilt, but people will be encouraged to put words of encouragement on it as well as their name.  Nothing sad, just uplifting sayings, thoughts, scriptures.  I think this will wait until after the holidays.  I want to give the family time to heal a bit and get over the initial loss of their dear little angel.

So, on the agenda today is

• drafting a pattern for  the lap robe/quilt.  
• making a grocery shopping list that I can stick to
• buying and decorating our Christmas Tree
• taking Mr D to TWO therapy appointments
• Finding time to work on the teacher's Christmas gifts
• and, most importantly, praying for Kristy's surgery and recovery.

Nini

In Loving Memory of Helen Gray

On Sunday evening, the angels in heaven rejoiced over the addition of a precious little soul.  Meanwhile, here on earth, we continue to cry from sadness and devastation over the loss of the beautiful soul.

Helen was returning home with her mom and dad from a Thanksgiving visit with her grandparents.  While driving on I 85, just outside of LaGrange, traffic slowed.  Her daddy slowed along with the traffic.  At that point they were barely moving.  The SUV following them was distracted, just long enough, to be unable to stop.  He rear ended them going about 80 mph.  The force of the crash pushed their van into another car, which in turn went into another car.

In that instant, our lives were forever changed.  That beautiful little red headed girl, so full of life and sweetness, was forever taken from our lives.  While we know she is living in heaven with God, we are saddened that we can't see her anymore.

We know that she will be forever missed.  Not only by her earthly family, but also by all her friends and loved ones.

Her mommy, Kristy Gray, not only has to deal with not being able to hold her dear daughter any more, but also with the life changing effects of the accident.  See, Kristy suffered a multitude of injuries.  One of the most devastating ones was the crushed vertebrae.  She is expected to undergo surgery tomorrow to insert some metal rods to enable her to sit.  She is currently paralyzed from the chest down.  While there has been some movement in her arms, she has a less than 10% chance of ever walking again.

This wonderful, loving Christian family will never be the same.  We are praying that they will be even better.


Hug your children and take every opportunity to tell those who matter to you just how much you love them.  You never know when it will be your last time to touch their lives on this earth.




In addition, Damien's response to learning that Helen had died..."she gets to see Grandma.  Maybe grandma will take care of her for her mommy."  Out of the mouths of babes.....

Nini