Notes down Songbird Lane

It's Been a Long Time

2010-08-29T14:32:00.000-07:00

It really has been a long time since writing in my blog. I've used my flickr account for a daily photo journal, but miss writing stories circling around in my head. Scary, I know.

Two recent highlights in our family, with the birth of granddaughter, Tessa Grace, and yes she has red hair like Sienna. The second excitement was having my first ever gallery show featuring many of my framed photography prints at the JCC in Nashville.

You can view my photography on the imagekind site:

http://glendaborchelt.imagekind.com/store/

Change

2008-11-23T09:08:00.000-08:00

This has been a year that change is the new icon. Will the battle cry be enough? Our nation has been noticing the signs, but still spiraling out of control. We're like a bunch of spoiled children waiting for the next handout, all the while bad mouthing the giver. When the banks tried to withhold loans, because they didn't meet the criteria-they were sued. After the first win, all other banks had to follow suit or be sued. It no longer mattered whether they had the ability to pay back the loan, we have to be fair and allow all to have what they ask. Other nations need our financial assistance which we freely give, all the while they bad mouth the giver with their hands still open for the giving. Now that our economic stability or instability is out in the open, we're all disturbed. Once the bailout was approved for one, the line is increasing daily of those with hands out for their share of the spoils. When does the noble act of giving become an act of enabling even crippling those around us?

Early this morning I read my ex father-in-law's blog. He's always been an avid reader, historian, adventurer, and thinker, so no surprise that he has his own thoughts of the condition of our country. I thought I would copy and paste his entry to share with all of you. Not sure that many read his blog, but his words and quotes are worth repeating. Disturbing, but worth reading. The following is his post:

There has been much discussion about our present economic crisis. Politicians blame each other , big business, Wall Street, deregulation, and nearly every one but themselves, which may be where the real cause lies. The true cause of our problems may be inherent in what our nation has become , a democracy. The founders of our country were fearful of democracy as a form of government because of the history of failures of democracies. They formed a democratic republic in order to prevent the excesses of a pure democracy. We have weakened some of the safeguards built into our constitution, primarily by the amendment process. The 16th amendment , the income tax amendment , has been the most damaging to our freedoms.One of our founders contemporaries expresses the reason for their concern of democracy as a form of government:History of Democracy--Alexander Tyler, Edinborough, Scotland, 1787, circa our Constitutional Convention.A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence:From bondage to spiritual faith;From spiritual faith to great courage;From courage to liberty;From liberty to abundance;From abundance to complacency;From complacency to apathy;From apathy to dependence;From dependence back into bondageWhere are we today ?

Hopefully, this was written in his darkest moments, and we will learn from past mistakes in our history. Wishing our new president success in accomplishing changes that will benefit our children and grandchildren.

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

2008-09-01T13:43:00.000-07:00

I just finished my first week back to school, and 1 thought kept popping up in my cluttered head. What did I do on my summer break? Every day was jam packed, but in the retelling (which everyone was sharing their summer adventures last week) lost some of the appeal. June and most of July, I was still in recovery mode from my shoulder and bicep surgery. The first week of July, I was able to start doing 2 sessions of my home therapy instead of the 4 times a day I had been doing since the surgery in March. Also, I wouldn't have to go back to the therapist unless I encountered problems. Talk about feeling freedom. I hardly knew where to begin, and it was difficult to get back into the mindset of having free time.

Dawn and Luke have a new little girl, Sienna Shea, born on Anita's birthday, July 20th. Weighing 6 lbs. 15 ozs. and having red hair, the name Sienna seemed the only choice. Christina and Michael were in that weekend for Chrissy's 20th HS reunion so were able to see the new baby. And I had a few days to enjoy the 3 grandkids before rushing off to be with Sienna. I couldn't help thinking about how it was so different just 2 years previous when Isabell was born. Because of my injuries, I couldn't help Chrissy with the new baby. Now I can start making up for lost time with all the grandkids.

My vacation was a road trip to Vermont. On the way, we spent a night with Jim's sister, Judy, and brother-in-law, Art, who live in Allentown, Pa. His niece and nephew came by for the evening, as well. What a treat that was. A wonderful time of catching up, and enjoying Art's fabulous cooking. Jim's niece, Shannon, who's the same age as Lisha and Dawn, was sharing her news about her pregnancy with twins. Shannon, a music teacher, and her husband, Dave, a Dr. in Elizabethtown, had been trying for several years, and finally were able to succeed with invitro. For Shannon, that meant 14 weeks of daily shots to trick her body into taking over the production of hormones she now needed to maintain her pregnancy. She has 6 more weeks to go for the shots, and the babies are due in April. Now onto Vermont to spend a few days with Jim's niece, Lori, and her family. A little needs to be said about this adventurous family. Lori is a research scientist in pharmacology, and her husband, Bob, is an oncology Dr. now doing research. Both run marathons, ski, canoe, and anything that comes their way. They live in Canada with their 3 wonderful kids (ages 10-15), and have had to learn French. Their Vt. cabin with several hundred acres is their refuge, and is only 3 hours away when they need a weekend fix. It's located on Lake Groton in the Green Mountain region. Breathtaking views, and a photographer's paradise. Too bad it was raining almost the whole time we were there. But it didn't stop us from hiking, swimming, canoeing, fishing, and playing games with the kids. We finally drug ourselves out of there while we could still move, and on to visit the grandkids. Christina is a wonderful cook, and the kids showed us all their new tricks they've learned since our last visit. Sure was hard to say goodbye.

Before closing, I must mention that I lost my Dad on June 8th this summer, after a long illness. I'm so grateful my 2 brothers were there to comfort him while he passed. Sometime I'll be able to write more, but for now I can only say how much I miss him.

Don't Get Your Clothes Muddy

2008-07-03T17:12:00.000-07:00

Going through old photos, I found this one of the girls, and what memories came flooding back. After repeatedly telling the twins to stay out of the mud puddles, because I didn't want them to get their clothes and shoes muddy, this was their solution. I looked out of the kitchen window to this. Their clothes and shoes in little piles on the driveway, and them rolling in the mud. Their white hair was streaked with mud, and their sisters, Chrissy and Anita, were trying to coax them to get out while remaining mud free themselves. Too bad it's so faded, but the memory is as vivid as ever.

Saga of a Fall

2008-03-15T14:15:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time...well, actually it was December 16th, 2005, and I was eager to get to school to finish up our last day of the book fair. Of course, the weather was similar to what we've had recently with snow, ice, melting, freezing, and more snow on top. When I arrived at the parking lot in my usual spot, I hurried to grab all my bags and be on my way. As soon as my feet hit the pavement, down I went on my elbow and right side until I finally slid into the wheel of my car stopping me. I was positive my arm was broken at my elbow, it hurt so badly. Determined to get the rest of the kids through the book fair, as some had waited all week for their turn, I had to rely on my volunteers to help get me through the morning. The school nurse, Denise Adams, wrapped my elbow with ice, and tried to convince me to leave for an x-ray. I fully intended to do that, but had to get the kids through while the volunteers were there. No way could I use my arm, or hand at all. Later, Jim took me to urgent care to be checked out. The Dr. seemed more concerned with my other bumps and bruises on my knee and hip, but my only concern was the elbow. After an x-ray showed there was no fracture to the elbow, I was sent on my way with a follow up appointment in a few days. However, because of the bad weather conditions, it was 2 weeks before I could see the Occupational Health Dr. at Adena. For the next few months, it was found that I had a rotator cuff tear, and injuries to my elbow and bicep muscle. I also had a dislocated shoulder which showed new tears in my 2nd MRI. The pain was excruciating, but I've never been able tolerate pain medication for more than a couple of days, so had to "tough it out", along with ice, and daily therapy exercises trying to keep me from freezing up. The hardest part was learning to brush my teeth with my left hand. I couldn't sew, quilt, craft with polymer clay, fix my hair, cut up vegetables, open lids, drive, etc. for months. In April, I saw my 1st surgeon who without much examination told me surgery was the only option. Didn't like that at all, so made an appointment with a group of orthopedic surgeons in Cincy who are well respected. After extensive probing, exams, and therapy treatments, they too felt it was the only option, and I planned on waiting until school was out before having the surgery done. At work, I modified everything. Since I couldn't use scissors and tape to make book repairs, those had to be left for volunteers and other library staff to help. Jim made a higher box for the computer keyboard, and I taught the kids how to hold the book over to me so my left hand could scan the books. Jim came in when needed to help clean shelves or anything I had trouble doing. Never once did I consider just not coming back to work, although it was discussed each time I visited the Dr. I always said, "Just tell me what I can't do, what I need to do, and I'll do it." By the end of the summer with lots of excuses, I was finally told by Workman's Comp that my surgery was denied. The main reasoning was that their main function is to get the employee back to work, and since I didn't take off work, their job was done. Their Dr. disagreed with my 3 doctors' diagnosis, the MRI's, and the radiologist-all without ever talking to me or an exam. All this time, my elbow which still caused me the most pain, and restricted me long before my shoulder felt it, had been put on the back burner until the shoulder was resolved. I could go on and on. The first year I couldn't travel to visit my girls, grandchildren, and Texas family as I had always done, didn't go on vacation, didn't attend other family weddings, and functions. I rarely went to dinner, as it was very difficult cutting up food while sitting, and my arm ached continually while hanging. At school, I kept it propped on the box Jim built while working. At home and in the car, I used pillows for propping. In a pinch, I use my purse. I'm still propping up my arm each night, and having to rearrange it several times throughout the night to lessen the pain when it's moved during sleep. This year, I've slowly started doing some sewing, and quilting again, but in September started using photography as a fun craft that I can do. Hated learning to use the screen instead of a viewfinder, but that allowed me to keep my elbow at my waist while watching for the right moment to snap. Now I can't imagine any other way to use a camera. Photography has brought plain old fashioned joy back to me after a difficult 2 years. Had it not been for my elbow and shoulder injuries, I would never have taken the time to learn (Thanks, Doris). The great news is...and the real reason for this blog post, they've finally approved my surgery. Friday is the day I'm to be repaired. Never dreamed I'd ever be happy about a surgery. Had to act quickly as the approved time period for the surgery was Jan 1st -April. Of course, the approval wasn't given until mid February, but this time I know I can't wait till summer. That too is probably a good thing, because Dawn and Luke are expecting a little girl (just found out the sex yesterday) in July. I want to be able to hold her, as I wasn't able to do with Christina and Michael's little Isabell when she was born. Even with all the frustration of this, I've always known how truly blessed I am that I can be fixed, that I can live a joyful life. Many others are not so fortunate.

Please Don't Honk With Your Mouth Full

2008-02-15T16:33:00.000-08:00

I love food, and as soon as I settle down at night, I can't wait to get up for breakfast. Which is why I get it ready the night before. You know how it is, I don't want to wait. Of course, it has to be nutritious and tasty. Not either without the other. My favorite is a mixture of cereals, nuts and fruits. Shredded wheat, barley nuggets, old fashioned oatmeal (not cooked), walnut pieces, and cinnamon & ginger. This I put together the night before. In the morning I add skim milk, cranberries (dried or canned), handful of grapes cut in half, and a half a banana diced. Then I take my cereal downstairs to upload a photo or 2 on flickr while I savor my breakfast. Yes, I'm smiling the whole time. Like I said-I love to eat. Commenting on some of the flickr contacts (mostly wildlife enthusiasts) gets me going and ready for the youngsters I'll be seeing shortly. Now when they're checking out their non fiction books of interest, and ask about spiders, snakes, etc., I can show more pics in those last 5-10 minutes before library class ends. Since some of you enjoyed my soup recipe, I thought you just might enjoy my favorite breakfast. Funny, though, none of my girls seem interested in trying it. Oh well, they do like my soup.

Lisha & Dawn's Birthday

2008-01-27T17:05:00.000-08:00

Lisha & Dawn recently celebrated their 33rd birthday, and it got me thinking of how blessed we have been with them. With them being preemies, and having a few complications, I kept taking them to a pediatrician in Portsmouth instead of a GP in town. We all have faith in the experts, and many times never question their diagnosis and advise on treatments. It was a mistake I made, as well. Both girls were behind in their development compared to their siblings, as expected in being 7 weeks early. Having an identical twin, though, helped me to see where they should be. Lisha began sitting up around 9 months, Dawn still couldn't at 24 months. Each time I questioned the Dr., he would answer the same, "One twin is almost always slower to catch up, but she will". She also had bent legs, and couldn't straighten them which worsened as time went on. Still when questioned, it was the same response. Finally, when going to Dr. Schlie for my bronchitis and having the 4 girls with me, he looked at Dawn and said, "Do you realise Dawn has Cerebral Palsy?" I was floored. He then advised me to take her to Children's for an evaluation. At that visit, Dawn was seen by 7 specialists (an all day visit). They confirmed Dr. Schlie's diagnosis, and really offered very little hope for improvement, only tried to prepare me with what to expect. During the 70's there was a therapist from Columbus that came to Chillicothe one day per month. However, they didn't recommend it. They told me of some surgeries she would face at different intervals to make things easier. Needless to say, I was devastated. When I returned home, my first thought was, "Well, her calf and thigh muscles weren't developed as Lisha's were, so I will hold onto her arms, and we will all walk every evening." At least I can help her to be stronger, and help her legs look more developed, as people were already comparing her to her twin. Next, I decided to find out everything I could on brain injuries (which is the cause of Cerebral Palsy), so that meant many hours at the public library. I was astonished to find stories of severely injured patients, who did get therapy, and could learn to first move in the water, then crawl, and even walk again. These were adults as well as children, many who sustained their injuries in automobile accidents. That's all I needed to prod me on. The walking continued, and we also began sitting cross legged on the floor (to stretch those muscles and hopefully prevent the hip surgery that was on the list to be done). I didn't want Dawn to feel any different than the rest of us, so we all sat this way. Dawn, of course, had to be propped up with pillows on both sides, and with her back against the sofa. Within a few months, Dawn was able to walk while holding onto one of my hands. I decided against braces on her legs, because I didn't want her dependant on them (another thing I'd read). It was an option we could have chosen later, if needed. Over the years, I had to come up with a lot of creative ways of doing things so that Dawn would be stronger and develop, and would not feel "different". However, kids are cruel, and during her school years, the one way kids could tell them apart was because "Dawn walked funny". She also had to wear special shoes (boots) at times, because of injuries to her achilles (spelling?)tendons. Dawn excelled in school, and played in sports and cheerleading. All of this made an impact on all of us in one way or another. For Dawn, it may explain why she absolutely did not want to walk down the aisle at her wedding this summer. Well she did, and did it beautifully. Dawn will always have to deal with her motor development, and keep up with her exercises, but God has truly blessed us. Now, back to Lisha who was developing normally, although slightly behind in her first year or two. She did, however, have a white patch completely covering her pupil area in one eye. You guessed it-for 2 years, every time I asked the Dr. about it, he'd say, "Don't worry, it will go away on it's own." He was right, by the time she was 3, it had gone away. When I enrolled the girls in Kindergarten, I was told, "Did you realise Lisha is blind in one eye?" Shock! Once again, I was advised to take Lisha to Children's for an evaluation. They discovered such a thick series of scar tissue over her eye that even lasar could not remove it. After questioning me, they told me she'd probably had a scratch from birth that had become infected. Because it had never been treated, the scar tissue kept building over top of scar tissue. She does have some peripherial vision in that eye, but they're still unable to do surgery to correct it. I guess, I just want to say, many things happen every day that we have no control over, but we each have common sense, and the right to question. Don't ever feel that you have to accept what doesn't feel right, and even if it does make sense. We have to be our own advocates for good health for our families. Sometimes, it can change the outcome, and sometimes, it can just help us to learn what we can do to make it better. Once again, I know how blessed we all have been, and how blessed we are today.

OK, this isn't exactly a birthday story, but then again, it may be. But that's how my mind works sometimes-well, most of the time. I'm going to try not to proofread this, or the story may never be told.

Saturday's Soup

2008-01-20T09:46:00.000-08:00

This is from yesterday's batch of soup. Every 2 weeks or so, I have to make soup. Usually some variation of vegetable. This batch was Chicken Vegetable. It's the one thing I love to make when family or friends are coming in, as it really doesn't matter when they arrive. Make a whole grain loaf of bread, and there's nothing better. I like preparing ahead so I can enjoy my crafts a little more (less guilt). By canning the soup, it doesn't have to be eaten in a hurry before bacteria gains control. I still refrigerate to be safe, although I've taken my soups on many camping trips when the girls were young. You know-wanted to make sure they got their veggies. Hehe. One Aunt always tells me, please don't buy me gifts--just have me over for soup. Guess there's no better compliment than that. Here's yesterday's recipe, although my soups are never the same. I'll try to list some of the variations I use.

Chicken Vegetable Soup (10-11 quarts-1/2 day's work)

4 lbs. chicken breast (grilled in a pan and then diced) In a hurry, I use 2 rotisserie chickens. When I'm thinking ahead, I roast 2 chickens.
1 large onion-diced
6 stalks of celery-diced
1 lb carrots-diced
the above 3 ingredients can be sauted in the chicken pan as you've removed the chicken to dice.
6 large idaho potatoes-peeled and diced
1 large sweet potato-peeled and diced
5 16 oz. cans of chicken broth
add parsley flakes and salt and pepper to taste to the above 3 ingredients in a large 12 quart pan.
1 quart of diced tomatoes (I used home canned)
1 16 oz. can of italian flavored diced tomatoes
1 16 oz. can of italian flavored tomato sauce
1 bunch of broccoli diced or 1 large bag of frozen broccoli florets -diced
1 16 oz bag of frozen spinach
1 16 oz. bag of frozen green beans
1 16 oz. bag of frozen corn
1 16 oz. bag of frozen baby limas
1/2 bag of frozen peas
1 large can of your favorite Bush's baked beans
add all the above ingredients (1 at a time and season the frozen veggies before adding the next) to the now simmering pot of potatoes and diced chicken. add water to the pan used for the chicken and sauted veggies to deglaze any remaining juices and add to the soup as needed for broth. Allow to come to a boil and simmer for an additional 20 minutes. When you have turned the soup down to a simmer, place 9 quart jars in a 200 degree oven. Also place 9 new lids in a small pan of simmering water to keep the seal warmed. Using a canning funnel, dip soup into each of the quart jars up to 1/2 " from the top. Place the lid on the jar and screw on just till taut and set aside. Now dip out soup for your own bowls and enjoy what's left. After each lid has popped and sealed-allow to cool and refrigerate.

Finished My Book

2007-11-17T07:05:00.000-08:00

I finished the book by AJ Jacobs, and have been quite moved. It's been an emotional roller coaster, and hard to put into words how it's impacted me. Part of it because of the turmoil everyone feels with the differing of faiths. Having been a part of the Baptists most of my childhood, and then the more "literalist" Worldwide Church of God as a young teenager through my early 30's. Some of my personal questions were answered from reading this book along with other books before, and more questions were raised. Maybe the answers are always to be searching within ourselves to make sure we question and understand the intent of our actions. That questioning has been the thing to inspire change, as well as torment me since Jr. High. I am starting to feel more at peace with the continuing quest ahead of me. Today is another learning day.

With Thanksgiving around the corner -will end by saying "I'm thankful for discovering macro on my camera, and seeing the little details of His creation that are missed by the naked eye". Makes creation by evolution hard to swallow.

Living Biblically?

2007-10-22T15:52:00.000-07:00

I've been struggling for some time with how to make sense of all we read and learn from our studies of the Bible. What's important for us in the literal meaning, and what has a deeper message for us. Arming myself with several new books, I've recently plunged into this quest once again. A couple of weeks ago I read about AJ Jacobs new book, "The Year of Living Biblically". He's the author of "The Know It All" after spending a year of reading the encyclopedias A-Z. This time he decided to try to obey all the 700 plus rules of the Bible for one year. This sort of fit into my searching so I had to get it, as well. Jacobs armed himself with counsel from different faiths, and stacks of different Bible translations and self help books. I think the most interesting parts are how the churches differ, and their histories. Reminds me of some of Steve's past messages. One part of the book, Jacobs has finally started praying his own prayers. A pastor advised him to think of ACTS as a guide- A for adoration (praising God); C for confession; T for thanksgiving; and S for supplication. As you might have guessed, this guy is a stickler for details, and it puts him in a quandary more than not. Well, my questions aren't being answered, but I'm learning a lot, and remembering a lot of things I'd forgotten. Another blog later when I've completed the book. Jim and I keep trading off.

Played Tag and now I'm It

2007-10-11T03:55:00.000-07:00

Playing games can really get you into trouble, especially when you had no idea you were playing. It appears that being "it" has some responsibilities. Namely, to come up with the who or what I am, and perhaps tagging others. My opinions seem to change with the hour, but this is what I've come up with this morning:

G-Grateful for family and friends.

L-Lucky to be living in a free land with all life's blessings.

E-Excitable when faced with new projects (thanks Jaki & Doris).

N-Negligent in keeping up with responsibilities.

D-Daring....OK, I haven't been daring for quite some time.

A-Artistic (a bit).

OK, now for passing it on. I may have to improvise for those not blogging. I'll get back to this later-see...that's where the Negligent comes in.

Off to work I go!!

My Mom

2007-09-22T07:47:00.000-07:00

Mom was born on June 15th, 1933, Barbara Sue Smallwood (friends and family called her Bobbie Sue or Barbie). She grew up in Kentucky in coal mining country much like the lyrics from Loretta Lynn's "Coal Miner's Daughter". Many of us in Ohio have parents with similar backgrounds, and wonderful stories that go along with it. From lunches in lard tins to walking to school from the many "hollers" in the region. Mom was the 2nd child of 8, and married when she was almost 16. 1 year later twin boys, and 2 years later I came along. David was born 7 years after me, and didn't have the hereditary eye defect that my 2 older brothers have. It's passed down from the female (the carrier), but only the males have the disease. They are legally blind, as was my grandfather and his brothers. More about that on another blog.

Throughout her adult life, she always had a childlike view of everything, and was an emotional woman. There's no defense against crying. Dad was devoted to my mom, and wouldn't tolerate any disrespect for her. Her cooking is one of the things most remembered by neighbors, friends, and family. There was gravy and biscuits with every meal. She didn't wake us for school (the aromas from the kitchen really woke us) until breakfast was on the table-eggs, gravy, biscuits, fried apples, fried potatoes, and sometimes meat. Weekend breakfast was fried chicken, fried potatoes, gravy, biscuits, eggs, and fried apples. Oh yeah, there was lots of frying, which is the reason our house was a favorite for our friends to spend the night. Once they had the weekend breakfast-they were hooked. During our high school years, we had 5 widows in our community. My brothers and I would deliver one of Mom's suppers to them at least a couple of times a week. Recently, old friends of mine stopped by, and we had breakfast at Bob Evans. I suggested that I make biscuits and gravy for them the next time they visited, and was told that they didn't want to mar their memory of my Mom's biscuits and gravy. Guess that put me in my place real quick. I'm a healthy cook. Possibly because everyone in my family is diabetic. Made me interested in nutrition and healthy eating starting in Jr. High.

Next weekend I'll travel to Lexington where my dad and his new wife will be vacationing. It will be a tough time. Last year, right before Christmas, I called Dad to check on him as I did about 5 times a week. Mom had passed on a year earlier. Asking him about his day, he told me he'd picked up his marriage license earlier in the aftenoon, as casually as he would have said he'd gone to the store for bread. The world stopped for a moment, and I thought I had surely misunderstood. Never even a hint that he was seeing anyone. Every phone call I was encouraging him to join the local senior citizen's group to help alleviate his loneliness, and help someone else in the process. My nephew and his family lived right next door, and never had a clue. My brothers and their kids and grandkids all live within a 5 mile radius, and they never saw it coming. Dad and Delores married 2 days later. We were all crushed. I sobbed all night, and had to keep it to myself for months. No way could I function at work if I talked about it. Finally told the cooks last spring, and maybe 1 or 2 others. My brothers and I, and our relatives have talked plenty, though. A new awareness of what kids go through with divorce and remarriage. Here I am an adult, and I wasn't able to "deal" with it. Because of their hasty wedding, I wasn't able to go through my Mom's personal things. Now everything's gone, and I didn't have a chance to save those little damaged linens I so wanted to make a quilt with, the little things that meant so much to me, but was tossed I'm sure by the new wife. And lots of little treasures that had been long forgotten-she saved everything. All my girls' letters and cards written to their grandparents. Dad moved out of his house the weekend he married, and later sold it. Well, this blog has become more about me, and not about Mom. I told Dad, I was happy for him, but very sad since I was still grieving. Mom would've wanted Dad to be happy, but human nature the way it is, I know she would've hated the fact that Dad married a small petite size 4 woman. She and her 3 sisters had always battled with their weight, and it had always bothered her. Of course, it never bothered Dad that Mom was obese, and he was always playful and intimate with her in front of us. Lots of handholding and kisses, and lots of laughter. His favorite reply when she was feeling bad about her appearance was, "You keep me warm in the winter, and cool in the summer, what more could a man ask for." That always brought laughter, and a happier note. It really didn't seem to matter to him.

Back to Mom- when I was in the 6th grade, Mom fell and broke her back. She was paralyzed from the waist down for a year, and took 2 years before she was able to walk again. Jr High and High School, I took over the household duties. My Dad and brothers tolerated my cooking during the interim, and many times Dad stepped in to cook. Mom had allowed me to help with the peeling of potatoes and cleaning up earlier on, but never the cooking. I did the laundry with a wringer washer and 2 tubs of rinse water. It was an all day ordeal. Then hanging the clothes on the clotheslines, and ironing. No problem with this, as I'd always helped. I also helped my 2 older brothers with their shaving, homework, etc. since they had the vision problems. David was young, and I took care of him, as well. First task Mom took on when she began her limited standing was cooking. I helped much more than I'd done previously, and always did the cleanup. Maybe why I like 1 pot meals so much when starting my own family. The cleanups took forever, with flour everywhere, and piles of pots and pans-did I mention this was every day. No time for homework at home, I had to keep up with that in my study halls and bus rides to and from school. Jr. High and High School years were hard.

Mom loved children, and would bring tons of little treats for all the children at every family reunion. There were always lots of games, coloring books and small inexpensive toys for the kids. She was a wonderful grandma, and loved having the grandkids around. Even the last couple of years when she was so ill, her face would light up when one of the great grandchildren stopped by.

Sorry for the unorganized way this was written, my usual hodge podge of thoughts. I have a week to prepare to meet Delores. My memories of Mom are forever.

My brother David

2007-09-15T06:11:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of happy times with my brother, David. He was 7 years younger than me so I had a lot to do with caring for him as he was growing up. From changing his diapers, to helping with homework, and later advice with his girlfriends. When my parents moved to Texas, David lived with us until he graduated High School in Piketon. He was such a fun loving soul who was amazed at everything. You couldn't help but be in a good mood when he was around. My girls adored their Uncle, but in High School he learned about drugs and alcohol, as many do. It was his struggle for the rest of his life.

David died tragically a few years ago, and I miss him so much. He had gone to church with his son earlier in the day, and headed for the river that afternoon. A few of his friends had joined him for some swimming and diving fun. On one of his dives he hit bottom in an unknown shallow spot, and never regained consciousness. He died 5 days later after being transferred from Austin to Tyler, Texas so Mom could be with him. She was too ill to travel to Austin (5 hrs. away) at the time, but Dad and my 2 older brothers stayed throughout. Mom and I arrived in Tyler 5 minutes after he died. It was a crushing blow not to have been there for him.

These are my thoughts as I edit old family photos. Fond and happy memories, and sadness , as well.

Isabell turns 1

2007-09-11T13:18:00.000-07:00

Today my youngest granddaughter, Isabell, turns a year old. I can't believe how quickly the past year has flown by. She was named after her great great grandmother, Isabell Wagner Hilsheimer, whom my girls called Grandma Hilsie. She passed on lots of great family recipes, and left us with wonderful memories. Each time I see Isabell, I'm reminded of how much Grandma Hilsie left her mark on our family.

floating in aqua

2007-09-10T16:00:00.000-07:00

I blame Jaki for starting this blog site, and now I blame Doris for getting me into the flickr site. Just had to answer her question on the bee. Couldn't comment without being a flickr member. Now that I've joined flickr, I have to make a presentable page (just in case someone looks at it). Don't want to be shamed!!

The Smurfs are back!!

2007-09-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

A visit from the grandkids this weekend, and the weather was perfect.

My Dad's Birthday

2007-08-18T07:28:00.000-07:00

Today is my Dad's 78th birthday so a good day for his story. He was born in Pike Co. Ky to Lorenzia Dow Mullins and Virgie Ellen Smith Mullins. There were 5 children; Victor (my dad), Curt, Haskell, Edna, and Eloise. Not quite sure of their birth order. His mom died at age 33 from kidney cancer, and his dad remarried Gertrude ? while he was still a young boy. There were 3 more children-Emily, Jesse Kenneth, and Freddy. Gertrude was the step mother fairy tales were written about, and it was not good for the 5 siblings in the house. Growing up, we were soon corrected if we called her grandma. "I'm not your grandma" with a mean look to boot. Sort of reminded me of the bad witch in the wizard of oz. This probably made such a lasting impression on Dad that he was a very nurturing father, and never ever allowed a harsh word to be spoken to our Mom. "Be thankful you have a mother to care for you" was said to us frequently as a reminder of how fortunate we all were. Dad was the one racing up at night to bring the vick's vapor rub or camphorated oil to slather on us or rock us while we were sick. He wanted mom to get a good nights rest for she held a special place in our family. Over the years there were many major afflictions to both of them, and they were nurturers, and always there for each other. This is what I hope for Dawn and Luke- to have this devotion to one another. My memories as a child is filled with trips to various parks on the weekend-spur of the moment times where you grabbed your fishing rods and a map and planned the day. They'd make a quick stop at the store and buy bread, lunch meat, snacks and pop (or some other combination), and off we'd go to another place we'd never been before. This is also how we moved around during my childhood, mostly all over Ohio until after 5th grade. They'd talk about a place, and the next thing I knew, we were moving again. A great adventure for them, but always traumatic and scary for me. Always meeting new people is not easy for a shy child, and that was me in a nutshell. From my earliest memories my Dad had been a Baptist preacher. The story goes that I had double pneumonia at the age of 1, and the Drs. didn't expect me to survive the night. My Dad prayed and prayed and said that he would dedicate his life to His service if He would allow me to live. So began his studies, searching, and becoming a preacher. At the age of 4 are my first memories of his church that he and the community help build. He stopped preaching when I was in the 5th grade. Dad was recuperating from 6 major operations (stomach, esophagus, and kidneys...) and then our home and general store burned to the ground. I was attending Camp Creek School at the time (4 rooms for grades 1st thru 6th). Since they had 1/2 the 5th grade with the 6th graders, I was in the same room as my Aunt Judy (a yr. older than me) and my twin brothers (2 yrs older, but only a grade ahead of me). That was awesome. Our class had to walk to the site and write a report about the event. I remembered doing so through my tears. My dad had taken my youngest brother, David, to get a haircut that day, and Mom was tending the store. The neighbors noticed the fire and ran over to warn my mom to get out. It didn't take long for everything to burn to the ground. Since my Dad's illness they had planned on moving to Arizona and had a lot of stuff boxed up. Someone was coming to sign papers to buy the store and house that day. The insurance on the place had just lapsed since they knew they were moving soon. These events seemed to be the start of many unfortunate events that plagued our family.

Those are my best memories of my Dad, although there are certainly more. He became obsessively protective of me during my jr. high and high school years. I finally rebelled at 17 to marry my first husband, Tim. But that's another story for another time.

Dawn's Wedding Day

2007-08-17T17:19:00.000-07:00

We had a beautiful day for the wedding, and I feel like the luckiest mom alive. Each and every time we're all together, I know I am truly blessed. My amazingly talented friend, Jaki, was able to capture it all in pictures. There is no better gift. CLICK HERE to see more of the wedding pictures. Luke has already become a part of our family, but now it's official, and we couldn't be happier. Michael and Jim will have another male in the family to even out the numbers. Can't wait for the next family adventure.

a song from childhood

2007-07-26T05:45:00.000-07:00

I always think of my parents as gypsies since they loved to just "up and move" at the mere mention of a new place someone talked to them about. Wherever we were, they loved to explore new parks, and make the long treks back home (Pike Co. Ky.). Except for the car sickness, the trips were always fun, as we sang all the way there and back. So different today with the DVD players, etc. The following is one of the many old ballads that was sung:

A neighbor was passing my garden one day.
She drinks and she talks quite a lot,
but she knows not to speak to my child or to me.
My neighbor then smiled, and I thought,

A tongue can accuse and carry bad news-
The seeds of distrust it may sow.
But unless you have made no mistakes in your life,
be careful of stones that you throw.

A car rushing by, and the screaming of brakes,
a screaming that made my blood chill.
My neighbor's one child had been pulled from the path
of a car by a girl lying still.

"Oh who was that brave girl?" my neighbor cried out.
"Oh who was that brave girl so sweet"?
I covered the crushed broken body and said,
"That bad girl that lives down the street".

A tongue can accuse and carry bad news-
The seeds of distrust it may sow.
But unless you have made no mistakes in your life,
be careful of stones that you throw.

I sang their songs to my girls on our many road trips, as well. This song still brings the goosebumps. The old ballads and folk songs were either very sad or very funny, but the trips seem to fly by.
I just don't want the words lost, and I have no idea the title of any of them.

I wanted guns & holster-NOT a doll!

2007-07-23T12:07:00.000-07:00

Left to Right - Aunt Millie, Glenda (4 yrs. old), brother Ron, Aunt Judy, brother Roger, and cousin Danny. Christmas time at my grandparents (Smallwoods). I wanted guns with a holster just like my brothers got. They also had great caps to use in the guns. I cried all day, and the next day my parents bought me a set of guns, as well. I never did play with dolls.

The Girls-Chapters III & IV

2007-07-20T13:53:00.000-07:00

With 2 girls already, we decided to try once more for a boy. After all, someone needed to carry on the family name. I had a lot of reservations about another child since our marriage was shaky, to say the least, and another 9 months of being ill was not that desirable. But the yearning for another baby overcame logic. Once again, 1st time tried was successful. A few weeks later the sickness returned. Now to scout for yet another Dr. in yet another town. We'd lived many places in Ohio, Florida, Arizona, and were now back in Ohio-Pike Co. this time. Still no insurance, so it was a while before going to Dr. Song. A wonderful Dr., but 45 minutes away. Hope I make it this time. Very hard pregnancy with more severe nausea, and in my 6 month was struggling with my huge belly. I could barely breathe. Also started having false labor pains, and knew I was much too early. Twice I stayed overnight at the hospital with dry heaves and contractions, but was sent home. However, Dr. Song wanted me to come in for x-rays (no ultrasound yet) to make sure the baby was alright. This was on a Friday, and I was instructed to call him on Monday with the results. While having the x-rays, I thought I overheard the tech saying "Oh my gosh, there are 2 of them". All the way home, I kept telling myself no...they must have been talking about something else. After a couple of hours of trying to convince myself of this, I decided to call Dr. Song at home-I knew I wouldn't sleep until I found out. He asked, "Are you sitting down? You're having twins." I was stunned to say the least, but thrilled at the news. Having twin brothers, I'd always imagined having twins myself, and here it was. What great fortune.

Two weeks after receiving the glorious news, labor pains couldn't be ignored, and off to the hospital we went (7 weeks early). Dr. Song was concerned about the babies' size, and discussed options of taking a drug to try and stop the labor. The downside being if I took the drug for very long, the babies would have to be slowly weaned off after delivery. I was a wreck. We left the hospital, picked up the prescription, and I cried all the way to my parents house. I didn't want to lose my babies, and I also hated the thought of taking something that may cause them harm. As soon as I got to my parents, I started bleeding and my water broke-so back to the hospital. 22 hard labor hours later, Dawn & Lisha were born. Dr. Song was thrilled with their size. 4 lbs. 6 oz. and 4 lbs. 1 oz. Great for 7 weeks early. Lots of medical ups and downs, they didn't tolerate the formulas, and the mother's milk bank was empty. Since they were fed intraveniously, I started pumping the first night and every 2 hrs. for a month. We weren't allowed to touch our babies until they were 2 weeks old, and they had fallen to 2 lbs. by then. Of course, I had left the hospital in a couple of days, and was making the 45 minute drive each day with my frozen milk. God blessed me with plenty, and there was enough for another 2 lb. preemie, as well as my 2. La Leche League loaned me their electric milk pump, and I learned how precious it is to be able to nurse. All the mothers who have had to use bottles and sterilize, kudos to you all. Every time I used the pump (every 2 hours), I had to sterilize the tubes and parts. Then freeze the bottles. The nurses would always say, "Here comes the milkman" each time they saw me arrive with my cargo.

After returning home from one of my daily treks, I was thrilled to be able to bring my girls proof of their new sisters- birth certificates with their footprints. I showed them both the footprints and told them how the nurses had inked their feet and placed them on the papers. Finally, one of the girls whispered in my ear, "We don't really have any babies, do we, Mommy?" All this time, they thought I was just spinning a good story. I was a little more watchful this time when returning to my parents with my new bundles. Yes, all the relatives were there eagerly waiting to see the twins. We all remembered the bassinet incident so kept our eyes on the girls' reactions. I went to the bathroom to change my pad, and forgot to lock the door. Chrissy rushed in-took one look and ran out screaming, "Mommy's bleeding to death, Mommy's bleeding to death." She couldn't understand why everyone was laughing hysterically, and wasn't doing something to help. Nothing like having such a large audience for an embarrassing moment, but tried to explain to my 2 crying children, that Mommy was fine.

Dinner time is fast approaching, so a good time to end.

The Girls-Chapter II

2007-07-17T10:44:00.000-07:00

Chapter II is about Anita, 2nd born, and the middle child. We had planned on waiting until Christina was 2 before trying for another, although the yearning had already begun. One of my friends had told me about the diaphragm I could get a Dr. to prescribe for birth control. The $7.00 was much more than Tim wanted to spend so Mom offered the hot bath advice. You know...if the man soaks in a hot bath, it kills the sperm. Chrissy was almost a year old, weaned from nursing, and I was back to my monthly cycle (except mine wasn't ever regular), and I knew we had to try something. It worked for a couple of months until vacationing in the Poconos. We were staying at an Inn that only had showers-no soaking. A few weeks later-morning sickness was back with a vengeance. Morning sickness throughout each of my pregnancies was a classic sign of gall bladder disease (I later discovered). I think I was about 6 months into my pregnancy this time, when I was allowed to see a Dr (a real OB/GYN). I had become a little more defiant, and was not traveling back to Beverly, Ohio. After all, the last time took 4 hours of labor, and I'd read the 2nd was usually faster.

Anita's Dr. was wonderful, and spent a lot of time educating and preparing me. I felt safe. He and his wife (his nurse) were older and very nurturing. They even offered for me to stay with them the last few weeks of my pregnancy as they lived close to the hospital. It was about a 45 minute trip for me. I often wondered later on if they could sense the lack of care I received from Tim. However, I stayed at home, and my parents lived pretty close by. After going over my due date, and not having a phone, I decided to stay with my folks during the day while Tim worked. The last week I started staying nights, as well, since Tim was partying each night. I was grateful to have someone to watch out for me and Chrissy, although I didn't enjoy hearing any criticism of Tim.

The big moment came, my water broke, and off to the hospital we went. This time without my mom. I asked Dad to keep her at home until I called. Didn't have the energy to try to keep her calm and myself focused on my breathing. I still wanted to use natural childbirth. Labor was only 3 1/2 hours, and once again I was amazed with another beautiful baby girl and a head full of dark hair. She weighed exactly the same as Chris-7 lbs. and 2 ozs. Since we didn't have medical insurance, the Dr. let me go home the next day (not the practice back then). All my family, relatives, and friends were waiting for us at my parents house. It was wonderful having everyone there to share our happiness. Chrissy had lots of questions and we tried to shower her with attention, as well. Finally, her patience wearing thin, she declared "You can take her back now". I explained that her new sister would be staying with us forever. She never said another word, just walked over to the bassinet by the couch and pushed. Fortunately for Anita, the couch saved her fall, and she's had that story to use many many times.

The lightning has started, so my chapter ends. Until next time...

The Girls, Chapter I

2007-07-09T13:45:00.000-07:00

Another picture of my girls at Dawn's bridal shower last month. I'm practicing blogging, and hoping to learn something along the way. The last picture I blogged from picasa, but couldn't figure out how to compose anything to go with it. Finally gave up in frustration. Today is my 2nd attempt. Eventually, I may be able to go right to my blog site and start journaling, but I haven't reached that enviable state yet.

About my girls. Christina is the oldest and I call her my pioneer child since I learned my mothering skills on her. A few weeks into my marriage I was very ill with vomiting, and visited a local Dr. to find out I was pregnant. Another month and I had an appt with my 1st OB/GYN. When my 1st husband, Tim, found out the cost of the Dr. visits for having a baby, I was not allowed to go back. 2 weeks before Christina was born, Tim found a Dr. that agreed to deliver the baby in his office for $75. I had already been reading everything I could get my hands on about pregnancy and delivery, because I thought I'd probably be the one to do it. So I was prepared as the Dr. gave me instructions on sterilizing the gauze and fabric in my oven on low to bring with me. Sounds like another century, doesn't it? 4 in the morning, after a couple of trips to our outside toilet (in the snow), I started crying that I couldn't even use the bathroom anymore. At least that's what it felt like to me-very bad cramps. Tim jumped up screaming, "Oh my God, she's having a baby." He then promptly jumped in the car, and took off without me. A few minutes later, he realised his mistake and returned for me. I was ready with my suitcase filled with a baby outfit and blanket, and a lot of gauze and fabric strips. Off we flew to Beverly, Ohio in the snow. Oh yeh, we made 1 stop at my parents home to gas up (they had a tank at the farm), and my mom decided she was coming, as well. They had just returned at midnight from a trip to Ga. Tim was flying on the snow covered roads while Mom was sobbing, and I'm lying in the backseat trying to remember the breathing techniques I'd read about. Of course, my water broke about 1/2 hr. into the journey and I can't stop shaking. I kept trying to reassure my mom that I was fine, and each time she replied, "Don't tell me you're alright, I know what you're going through" . Once there I discovered the Dr. was getting ready to leave on a hunting trip so he called his son. His house was right next to his office so he left, and his wife returned to be my nurse. I still hadn't been checked by anyone so I told the nurse to check me, because I was sure the baby was coming. She wanted me to take something for the pain which I refused-I wanted to have a natural delivery. She rolled her eyes, looked at my mom (who was still sobbing), and said, "These young girls who come in here saying I want to have it natural, well, she'll be begging for something soon. Be patient, this is your 1st, and you're going to be here all day." At this time, I felt myself ripping, and screamed, "I said, I'm having a baby." She took her time walking over to me, saw the baby's head, and ran next door for the Doc. He arrived dressed in camo coat and cap, grabbed Tim to help (no time to wash up), quick episiotomy, and delivered my beautiful baby girl. Tim exclaimed, "Look at all that hair." 1/2 hr. later we were headed back home.

Well, what started out as a practice blog titled, "The Girls" will now have to be "The Girls, Chapter I". Now, I need to get back to Dawn's wedding dress. More later.

After the Bridal Shower!

2007-06-10T11:40:00.000-07:00

Hodge Podge of Thoughts

2007-05-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

Never did I think I would become a blogger, but here I am trying to muddle my way through it all. Still haven't figured out how to successfully get a picture on my profile, but may be able to get pictures onto a new post. It's time to learn a bit more while I'm figuring out where I want to go with blogging. Pretty sure it will be a spot to put photos for all my girls to view and enjoy. Mostly old photos I've discovered and am collecting to copy to a CD. Maybe a journal to document family events and stories from the past so they can be passed on to future generations. Every time a family member is lost, much of their history is gone, as well.

OK, how did I get into this? It's all because I wanted to comment on Jaki's and Steve's blog sites. All because Jaki is such a good photographer and sent me to her blog site via Steve's. I was already familiar with her pics on the flickr site, but had no idea she had her own business or blog site. Now I check in daily as they both have something interesting to view or read. Sort of like I can't wait for my next Survivor installment.

Lots going on in the family. Last weekend Lisha moved to another apartment in Orlando to be closer to work, and Dawn moved out of her condo this weekend since she was fortunate enough to sell it the 2nd day listed. It's been a frantic race getting everything done before closing next week. The next event will be the wedding shower on June 9th. Can't wait to see everyone. I'd better start designing the dress.

First bit of family history for the girls. Both my mom and dad's families are from Pike Co. Kentucky and were farmers and coal miners. My dad worked in the mines and for the railroad before moving to Ohio in 1953. There were 5 children in his family when his mother died at age 33 with kidney cancer. His dad remarried and had 3 more children. There were 8 children in my mom's family (4 boys and 4 girls). Her older brother, Howard, died in the Korean war, and was my Dad's best friend growing up.

Enough for one evening. My history telling needs some more planning before venturing any furthur.

Brand New Blogger

2007-03-26T15:28:00.000-07:00

It's taken a week to get this far-hope I learn enough to keep going.