My 450th post!

Where's the brass band, the balloons, the confetti that I made it to #450.

Yeah, it ain't 500 but gotta celebrate the little things.

And I can TELL you where the confetti is!

All.over.my.house.

No doubt, shredded paper from your shredder is a great source of packing material and keeps your glass things in one piece...but it's the gift that keeps on giving. No matter how careful I am when I unpack the box, wipe off the item from it's confetti home, etc. it always jumps to the floor. It is as annoying as those pellets that you fill beanbags with.

We now have a liveable bedroom, living room, bathroom and dining room. The kitchen is useable but Roger is arranging his kitchen just so...

In other news, I go to Siteman Cancer Center Tuesday to get the results of my bloodwork and see what the cancer is up to now. It's a yearly November date. I always make it 2 weeks or so before Thanksgiving so if it's bad news I have the holidays to get me through it and I can cry in January. I have that same feeling I did when the surgeon told me he was going to remove my thyroid but there was no way I had cancer and I told him he was wrong because my gut said so and my gut was right and he was shocked. It's been 4 years and life is good so it's time for it to rear its ugly head again.

I'm so enjoying my new home...being able to see out the windows at ground level....no 3 flights of steps to get groceries to the kitchen or dogs down to their outdoor latrine.

My mother is on major spin rotation in her grave because her only child is already GASP making Christmas plans, filling up her December calendar with Cathedral Christmas music concert, lighting the official town tree and having a carol-a-long and has BIG GASP already purchased 4 Christmas presents! But Mom, even though you proclaimed you never started on Christmas before the day after Thanksgiving, you were as OCD as I am and I know you had your little spiral notebook you kept in your purse just chock full of Christmas plans...

Kelli has almost finished 1 of 2 semesters to complete her generals for the RN program. Please pray, chant, beg, or whatever that she is accepted into this RN program even though she is out of district(they supposedly get preference). She is in the process of transferring her LPN license to Illinois and she can work as an LPN in the meantime.

Michael is in a holding pattern...the Virginia unit he would be in if he had been able to find a job in Richmond after 6 weeks of beating the streets is deploying in January and he wanted to go and looks like he won't be for now. He is looking for jobs here and I know he has to be going out of his mind living with us, little money except his Guard pay and no friends here. I hope he gets a job soon and can make some friends. He's one of the good guys.

Kiereney is deciding whether she wants to have the THIRD surgery in January because the shunt that was put in her in March is malfunctioning and the headaches roar. This has been going on for 2 years and her life has been on hold. She will be 23 on the 24th...this child needs to start her life. Prayers would be appreciated. She wants to start nursing school so bad but she has to have her headaches under control.

Off to do errands and then I have a date with my recliner and TV. Have a great rest of the weekend!

Home Sweet Home Forever If I Get A Say

Colin and Jake catching rays at their new ground level front door.

We moved in a steady downpour last Thursday and Friday.

I owe Michael and Kiereney forever for moving all the boxes.

The movers dropped my washer and it now leaks---they have been notified.

Roger is in heaven among boxes in his bigger kitchen.

I am at peace which is good because I am exhausted and wondering if I can get an IV of energy to get me through.

I go in 10 days for the yearly thyroid cancer testing.

Roger is doing well.

Colin didn't like the closer traffic to his yard and taking care of business was rough for a few days but now he's an old pro. He can run up the 15 stairs to the bedrooms but sits at the top and cries because he can't get down.

Jake can do both and it frustrates Colin to no end when they are in pursuit of each other.

Several thousand boxes surround me but the living room is complete except for pictures hung, the kitchen is functional as well as the bathroom and we have a path to our bed as well as a bedroom TV courtesy of the kids who gave up one of theirs. I had one in Virginia and have missed it for the last 3 years.

The whole move is worthy of book and movie material but I'm too exhausted to think of all of it now. Kathy and Bobby were here and Kathy put my living room and dining room together furniture wise. I was brain dead by then. I am so blessed to have such good friends, kids and husband.

Our ex-landlord was a jerk and withheld $100 of our deposit but he will get his someday.

I realized last night that the living room is set up just like my beloved grandparents' living room was and no wonder I feel like I'm home.

God is good all the time.

Hope all my blogger friends are well. I will begin to play catchup. I have missed each and every one of you. But your thoughts and prayers sustained me. Trust me on that one.

I also got a new phone when we switched to Verizon right before the move and have an LG Env Touch that I haven't had time to read the instructions on beyond making and answering calls. I don't even know if I can access my blog from it but I surely hope so as I will be doing mega recliner time recovering.

Hope

Everybody Knows:

You can't be all things to all people.

You can't do all things at once.

You can't do all things equally well.

You can't do all things better than everyone else.

Your humanity is showing just like everyone else's.

So:

You have to find out who you are, and be that.

You have to decide what comes first and do that.

You have to discover your strengths and use them.

You have to learn not to compete with others.

Because no one else is in the contest of *being you*.

Then:

You will have learned to accept your own uniqueness.

You will have learned to set priorities and make decisions.

You will have learned to live with your limitations.

You will have learned to give yourself the respect that is due.

And you'll be a most vital mortal.

Dare To Believe:

That you are a wonderful, unique person.

That you are a once-in-all-history event.

That it's more than a right, it's your duty, to be who you are.

That life is not a problem to solve, but a gift to cherish.

And you'll be able to stay one up on what used to get you down.

Happy Birthday Kelli Lynne

Thirty-two years ago today at 9:08 a.m. I gave birth to my first child, first daughter,

Kelli Lynne.

She was due September 20 but due to breech presentation she was taken by Caesarian section from a very young 23-year-old who had never had a spinal before or surgery except for tonsillectomy.

She had a headful of the darkest hair...the nursery said I needed to buy a blow dryer for her hair.

She was named after my first boyfriend in 2nd grade, Kelly. His dad owned a pharmacy and on the shelves he had scratched Kelly loves Vanessa found years later when his dad moved the pharmacy. Sadly we lost Kelly about 10 years ago. We remained friends until I moved my junior year.

I just fell in love with the name Lynne, especially the spelling, so that was the only name I chose. I never chose a boy's name and this was long before sonograms. In fact, they had to take an x-ray and she was sitting up in my abdomen like a little Buddah.

We took her home 4 days later after the nurses paraded her around in the Labor Room with several ladies in hard labor to show them what they will get when they're done with later. She was all dressed in pink and looked like a doll!

Her first night home I set my alarm for 1:45 a.m. to prepare her bottle because everyone knew that babies take a bottle at 2 a.m. At 2:05 a.m. I called the hospital nursery and told them something was wrong with my baby because she did not wake up for a 2 a.m. bottle.

God bless the nurse on the other end of the phone who said that Kelli Lynne was OK, to put the bottle in the fridge and go back to bed.

Kelli Lynne slept through the night from the first night home.

She was an easy baby. Her dad cared for her during the day while I worked and he would give me a report on her as he walked out the door to go to his 2nd shift job. My dad came over every night after work to see Kelli.

I think we had her picture made at least once a month whether she needed it or not! :-)

She was my A student in school, very quiet and so talented in voice and piano. She played the school Masses for several years until she graduated from 8th grade.

She was the only child for almost 8 years until Michael Timothy came along in May of 85. Kelli didn't want a brother, didn't need a brother, life was good and she wasn't having anything to do with that baby! I did get her to help me pick out a Care Bear theme for his nursery because she loved the Care Bears. She was forced to come to the hospital to take us home and we had to stop at WalMart on the way home for formula and other needs. Kelli must have walked at least 10 feet behind us. She wanted nothing to do with that baby. She wouldn't help pick out any clothes or anything.

We got home and since the next day was Friday I decided to take her out of school and let her "help me put Michael's things away" aka Mom's plan to let her bond with Michael. By the end of the day he was HER baby. She fed him, changed him, dressed him and when she got off school she would make a bee-line for Michael.

We call her his Other Mother today. She still worries about her brother and what lies ahead for him in Afghanistan.

She got her LPN and decided this year to go for her RN. I know when she graduates she will be prepared to get a job wherever she wants to live.

She was a rock for me in raising her sibs and I will always be indebted to her.

Happy Birthday, Kelli Lynne.

I hope your first child(whenever that may be) blesses you like you have blessed me.

Love,

Mom

Operation Christmas Card for our Soldiers

The holidays are often a difficult time for those deployed. Often times there are troops who recieve little to nothing during the Christmas season. Our goal is to have a card for each deployed soldier during the holidays extending them warm wishes and appreciation during what may feel like a lonely time for them. Often times kind words from strangers are the very motivation that they need to stay focused in their mission of defending this country.

We would like to ensure that by giving them a simple holiday card. We would like to collect as many cards as possible by November 20, 2009 so that soldiers who wouldnt other wise recieve mail or benefit from generous care packages are not forgotten. They do so much for us, a simple card is the least we can do to brighten their day and holiday!

We all have left over cards from holidays past. Why not put them to good use and send over some much needed morale and support? It truly doesnt matter what type the card as long as its seasonally appropriate, the troops will love it. If you wish not to send a holiday card a thank you card or note cards of warm wishes are always greatly appreciated!

Enlist the help of your children, pictures are always a welcomed addition as many troops have children of their own at home. Just remember to write a small personal note for the holidays and even a thank you! Also, include your name and a contact information such as email if you would like to hear back from the soldier who recieves your card or picture. Thank you all and please ask anyone and everyone you can think of and thank you all for the help and support of this program! All the ideas have been welcomed and greatly appreciated!

You can mail cards to:

Amanda Sullivan

Attn: Operation Christmas Cards

PO Box 102

Shrewsbury MA 01545

or email any questions you have to me. mailto:cullanartstudio@aol.comThank you and God bless our troops!

NOTE FROM NESS

WE SLEEP AT NIGHT BECAUSE SOLDIERS ARE STAYING UP ALL NIGHT PROTECTING OUR FREEDOM. PLEASE-PLEASE-PLEASE....BUY ONE OF THOSE $4.95 BOXES FROM THE POST OFFICE, GATHER UP YOUR CHRISTMAS CARDS OR BUY NEW ONES(THEY REALLY ARE ALREADY OUT THERE TO PURCHASE) AND GET YOUR KIDS INVOLVED. ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE ENVELOPE YOU CAN PUT "HAPPY HOLIDAYS" OR "GOD BLESS YOU" OR ANYTHING YOU WANT. THESE CARDS WILL BE FORWARDED TO A CHAPLAIN WHO WILL ENSURE THAT EVERY SOLDIER HAS A CARD. PACK THAT $4.95 BOX FULL!

THOSE THAT LIKE GATHERINGS, USE THIS PROJECT AS AN EXCUSE TO HAVE PEOPLE OVER. PROVIDE THE COFFEE AND COOKIES AND SPEND AN HOUR LISTENING TO MUSIC AND WRITING OUT CARDS FOR SOLDIERS. USE IT AS A FAMILY PROJECT OR A GIRL SCOUT OR BOY SCOUT PROJECT.

A LOT OF US HAVE OR KNOW OF SOMEONE WHO IS OR WAS IN THE MILITARY. PRETEND IT IS YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER OVER THERE.... WOULDN'T YOU WANT THEM TO HAVE SOMETHING ON CHRISTMAS TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THEIR SERVING OUR COUNTRY IS NOT IN VAIN, THAT WE ARE GRATEFUL AND ARE BEHIND THEM IN THEIR EFFORTS TO KEEP US FREE?

I SAW MANY OF YOU COME FORWARD WHEN HALLIE NEEDED YOU TO AND RAISED A LOT OF MONEY FOR CARDIAC CAUSES....WON'T YOU PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO DO THIS FOR OUR SOLDIERS?

REMEMBER THEY HAVE TO BE RECEIVED BY AMANDA BEFORE NOVEMBER 20, 2009,

THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS FROM A GRATEFUL MOTHER OF A SON WHO WILL BE HEADED TO AFGHANISTAN IN 2010.

FEEL FREE TO PASS THIS ON TO YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. OUR SOLDIERS ARE SO DESERVING.

Oh How I Love Fall!

I've enjoyed 2 days of rain on Thursday and Friday and today is sunny and cool. We took both dogs for a walk around the neighborhood and they did well and so did Roger. He has been feeling great and getting used to all the new meds. He has also been in a cooking frenzy and has made some phenomenal suppers this past week.

This evening we're having homemade chicken noodle soup and watching our beloved Cardinals to see if they can stay alive in the playoffs.

Michael has shared with me that he is looking into joining the 116th out of Virginia who will be deploying to Afghanistan within the next few months. I breathe in, I breathe out and put it all in God's hands. I'm enjoying him being here.

To answer some questions from past posts:

No, Debbie, Roger did not have to come home on oxygen. He is doing well. Me and the CPAP are not getting along although I've faithfully worn it every night but last night. I started out with it but woke up with it off. I don't know what happened. I have the Opus mask with the humidifier and I think I had the setting wrong. I felt like I was having a nosebleed the other night and it was just water. I hope I get the hang of this soon.

Whoever asked and I'm sorry I can't remember, read this link and find out all about Flylady.

The girls called and our 14 year old cat named Savannah is on the way to the Bridge. I wish her Godspeed. We adopted her while we were in Richmond and she has always been very independent.

Speaking of independent, our grandcat, Jake, is giving me a run for my money! He is climbing on everything including the 50 gallon fish tank! I open the windows for him and he sits on my sil dodging my Fall decorations and looks outside. I've never been much of a cat person so getting to grow up with Michael's cat Jake has been a learning experience.

Jake and Colin are best buddies and those 6 month olders can really run and play hard. I just love watching them.

Take time out for yourself today and write and let me know what you did for you.

Love to all!

Ness

Thank You God

Thank you, God. You definitely carried me when I thought I couldn't walk another step, make another decision or think another thought. You ARE an Awesome God!

Thank you for the unyielding love and support of all my family and friends last Thursday when Roger was in surgery.

Thank you for the phenomenal cardiothoracic surgeon who, when opening Roger up for a simple laparoscopic procedure for 2 lung biopsies, was met with a forest of adhesions to get to his lungs and did not yield to her cohorts who urged her to crack him open because she knew he would not live if she did. Thank you for her 2 hours of patience it took to cut through the adhesions and get down to a portion of the lung for only 1 biopsy because he had already been under anesthesia 2 hours and he couldn't handle any more.

Thank you for the wonderful techs and nurses in the recovery room who kept his airway suctioned out and his vitals monitored.

Thank you again to our phenomenal surgeon who made the risky decision to try and take his airway out and she was successful and he started breathing on his own.

Thank you to the understanding nurse in the recovery room who listened to her patient and allowed me to come into the recovery room at 4 p.m. when I hadn't seen him since 7:30. He needed to see me as much as I needed to see him.

Thank you to the wonderful nurses and aides in ICU who promised me they would look out for him when I couldn't stay and they updated me at home.

Thank you to the wonderful Pulmonary staff who faithfully gave him his percussions and breathing treatments on schedule. We dodged the pneumonia bullet because of them.

God, please be with the nurse who gave Roger Heparin(when he was already on Coumadin and aspirin) and was unable to tell me why, which is one of the first rules of passing meds. Help my words be a learning experience for her that another patient does not suffer because of her ignorance.

Thank you, God, that even though we only were able to get 1 biopsy, the lab was able to get a diagnosis of BOOP and the steroid trial has been started.

Thank you to the wonderful ER nurse and doctor who understood that I had a daughter in ER with high blood pressure and intractible headache and a husband up on the Surgical floor who we were trying to get home and worked efficiently and kindly to get a bag of fluids and Dilaudid and Zofran into Kiereney and stabilize her so I could take both her and Roger home on Sunday afternoon.

Thank you to my wonderful kids who kept the home fires burning and the furkids fed and loved. Thank you for fixing me supper when I didn't know what end was up and allowing me to not have to think once I got home. I love you so much.

And last, but certainly not least, thank you to my DachshundStrong followers, my Facebook Friends and my other Internet friends who upheld us in prayer, called and texted to check on all of us and who surrounded me with their strength, love, and support. When things got dicey after surgery, I could feel enveloped in your prayers and knew that all would be well. I have no words to adequately thank you but know you made the difference in everything and I will always love you for doing so.