The Phone Call

The phone call came around 8:30 p.m. last night.  I had been expecting it since Thursday when I got the first text.  I have a dear friend who I met in England; sailed with to the Faroe Islands and the Netherlands; played with in South Africa; and lived next door to in Liberia who will be flying into Minneapolis next month.  

Her life has gone from a wonderful, happy story book to a painful, devastating reality.  The struggles and hardship she has gone though I would wish on no one.  And yet through the challenges, her faith in Jesus Christ as her only hope has not wavered. 

She will make it because she holds on to Jesus.  And I will treasure our time together next month.   Until then, I will pray . . .

 

To God be the Glory!

Sally was outside today when I was walking Annie, so I stopped to talk with her.  Her husband Paul's funeral had been the morning we got fourteen inches of snow.  Her granddaughter has been staying with her since the funeral and Sally said, "I just need to tell you a story about my granddaughter."

We had given her granddaughter our fourteen family passes to the Y so she could swim while she was here.  After she finished swimming one evening this week, she went into the sauna.  It was empty.  She decided it was a great time to play praise music so she did.  Another man came in, so she turned the music down and continued to praise God.  When she looked over at him, he was worshipping, too.  

 Then some women in Muslim dress came in.  She didn't stop the music, but continued to praise and worship God.  When she looked up, everyone in the sauna had their hands lifted.

She had to ask.  "You're dressed in Muslim clothing, yet you're worshipping with my praise music."  They responded:  "We dress this way for our Muslim husbands.  We are Christians, too."

"Let no one despise your youth,

but set the believers an example 

in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity."

1 Timothy 4:12

I'm proud of you!

Micah was part of a panel at New Life Family Services today sharing with prospective parents who want to adopt multi-racially.

She was excited to share her story and she told me that she encouraged these future parents to let their children know right away that they are adopted. 

You go, girl!   

Thankful Thursday!

Define "Grace":

1. elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action;

2.  a pleasing or attractive quality or endowment;

3.  favor or goodwill;

4.a manifestation of favor, especially by a superior.

 

Today, I am thankful for grace as defined above:

1. For the first time since my polymyalgia rhuematica was diagnosed and I started treatment, I heard from those at the Y that I was swimming beautifully again.  I am swimming with grace.  I am thankful.
2. Again, I am thankful for the ladies in the locker room who encourage me with words when I finish teaching my classes.  It's just Jesus in me;
3. I am thankful for our former pastor, who when I called him today, said, "Of course you can have Micah's graduation party at our church.  She's a member of our youth group." 
4. I am thankful for my supervisor who is willing to teach my swimming classes so I can go play at Sand Creek.   

Just think!

Today while many of you were inside working hard, I was being paid to zip!  Gotta love it!

Only at Sand Creek . . .

My return to Sand Creek for our 2018 season was marred today by the most awful group of students.  Where they came from in the metro will not be noted; suffice it to say they behaved as an entitled group of exceptionally rude cheaters and I called them on it.  I called the coach on it, too.  He saw what I saw.  I said, "If that's how you play lacrosse . . ."

The sweet part of the day?  Our trails were covered with ice, snow, slush, water and ooey gooey mud!  I can not tell you the number of students we had to hose off after they trekked up the hill and slipped in the mud!  It made up for their attitudes and really improved mine! 

Thankful Thursday!

After working with Micah several weekends over the last two months on scholarship applications for Lakeville North, I was ever so thankful to get a "Dear Parent/Guardian of Micah Zupke" letter today.  We are invited to an awards ceremony on May 7, because, yes!  Micah got a scholarship!

Best Brunch Ever!

I had the privilege of having brunch with a young woman this morning that I met in person for the first time today.  We had the loveliest conversation regarding friends around the world; different names for Tylenol; six berths; top bunks vs. bottom bunks; meal times; and patients aboard the good ship Mercy.  Ashley graduated from Lakeville North just like Matt and Micah.  She just completed a nursing stint in plastics on Ward B aboard the Africa Mercy currently docked in Douala, Cameroon.  It was my honor to buy her meal and thank her for her service to the world's forgotten poor.  And just like the rest of us, she one day hopes to serve again with the good ship . . .    

The Raisin Regiment

My beloved daughter with the rare blood type of O- took on the American Red Cross this past week.  After being deferred over and over and over (okay, twice this year already!) for low iron, she ate raisins every day for the past two weeks because she WAS determined to give yesterday.  Friends, she scored a whopping 13.5 on her iron count, donated her pint in under four minutes and then took me shopping at Target.  Meanwhile, coming in at 11.5/11.6, I watched her give . . .

It's official!

My new title at 

Sand Creek Adventures is . . .

LOW ROPES COORDINATOR!

I was given my official job description on Monday with a $1.00 an hour raise!

I'll be programming our team build events, training staff, setting up and tearing down the site, researching and identifying new low ropes elements for course addition and assisting with general course operation.  Party on!

Happy Monday!

It was quite the happy Monday at our house!  Never mind that the roads were coated with ice at 6 a.m. and I was the lucky winner of "walk the dog".  It was so icy that I couldn't safely walk her down Jaguar Path - she was pulling and I was sliding, so I took her off leash.  She took off like a bullet toward home - think "breakfast!"  She was!  

It was such a joy for me to see Annie run.  It was one year ago on April 14 that Annie had her torn ACL fixed.  We will be running together SOON - joyfully!

Can you believe . . .

That Behr Paint put together a "Margo and Sam" commercial?  I couldn't figure out how to attach it, but I can give you the info!  You gotta love it - especially if you're Margo and Sam!  That's all we're watching right now during the blizzard!  NOT!

BEHR Paint TV Commercial, 'Margo and Sam' - iSpot.tv

https://www.ispot.tv/ad/w051/behr-paint-margo-and-sam?autoplay=1

Thankful Thursday!

On an actual Thursday, I am thankful for (more than, but am only sharing) these three things:

• I got a text at 2 a.m. this morning from my forever friend, Cherie.  (Can you say "the seventies"?)  Her grandson, Jack, was having heart surgery at noon today.  Would I pray?  Definitely!  I am thankful that I can be "there" for her and she can call on me at any time.
• I am thankful for my fellow swimmers who took the time today to ask me how I was feeling.  Truthfully, better in the muscle department.  My chest and leg muscles seem to hurt less every day.  Unfortunately, nausea is my new best friend (not so thankful for that).
• I am thankful for Edith's mom, Kris.  On our first day of lessons seven weeks ago, I had admired Kris' earring and asked where she'd gotten it.  She said she made it herself and she would be glad to make me one.  At the end of lessons today, Edith handed me a box.  Not only was the earring I admired in the box, but a totally cool pair of earrings that Kris said would be perfect to swim in!  What an awesome gift and I am so thankful for the earrings!  I went on-line and checked out Kris' website (Kiki Koyote) and her story makes me even more thankful that she chose to gift me in this way.

Have a blessed thankful Thursday!  

Oh, Poop!

In the process of multi-tasking today, I was walking Annie while carrying brownies up to Cindi's house.  Wouldn't you know?  At the house next to Cindi's, Annie pooped.  Not only did she poop, but another neighbor was walking by with her dog and saw me JUST LEAVE IT THERE! I was not carrying poop with the brownies - gross!  Cindi laughed.  I felt guilty.  And I DID go back and pick it up!

Forty-four days!

Micah came home last night and made the announcement, "I graduate in forty-four days.  Someone wrote it on the chalkboard in Mrs. Clark's room."  Wait, what!?! 

I have forty-four days, plus or minus, to:

• Update the FOO (Family of Origin) Photo Album, last touched in January 2015 and we've added a child,
• Update Micah's photo album, from January 2016 until now;
• Her little blue baby book was last added to in 2014; and
• What about Ukraine, summer 2017?

Not to mention plan a graduation party, order graduation announcements, do a senior poster, start a new job - and just feel well?  My new meds are making me nauseous and I think this is, too!  It's a good thing God is in control and I'm not.  I'm under the grace parade.

Contend.

We started a new sermon series at church this weekend, "Contend," the book of Jude.  This song started our worship time and it's been playing in my brain all day as I prepare to contend.

Diagnosed.

For all of you who have been waiting on pins and needles since "Thankful Thursday", I was given a diagnosis this morning!  You might remember I saw my doctor for what I thought were two separate problems on Thursday, plus my annual thyroid/cholesterol check.  Here's what little I now know:

• My TSH is high which means, if I'm reading it correctly, my thyroid function is low.  We're going to wait a couple of months, retest, and then see if we need to change my medication.  Because I do have bigger and better problems . . .
• I have polymyalgia rheumatica.  I passed the blood test, or failed it, depending on how you look at it! - which simply means my muscles ache throughout my hips and shoulders.  Like major pain!  Like difficulty getting in and out of bed, difficulty getting in and out of the car, difficulty getting in and out of chairs, difficulty walking . . . I looked it up on-line, but I'm going to wait until I hear back from my doctor tomorrow before I get too excited.  What mattered most to me is that it is treatable and maybe by the end of this week or sometime next week, my pain will be diminished.  Praise God!
• Lastly, the third area of concern involves the porcelain throne.  I was able to drop off four specimens at the lab today and hopefully those results will come in soon.     

To those of you who have been praying for me, thank you!  It means a lot!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Our dear neighbor Paul died last Tuesday.  I texted his wife Sally yesterday afternoon saying Micah had just made chocolate chip cookies, could we drop some by for her grandsons and guests?  Seriously, Sally texted right back - her son Luke was coming in later that night and chocolate chip were his favorite cookies!  Because she was out and about (two airport runs yesterday!) she said she'd stop by to pick them up.  

When she came, she had one right away.  Then she said with a smile, "These won't last until morning."  

Banquet Meal

Sam and I left church last night and I said to him, "I feel like I've just been served a banquet meal."  Ever since we left Open Door in 2003 because 

• It moved to Maple Grove;
• Traveling an hour each way to church ceased to be fun with a two and a five year old in the car;
• We really felt God calling us to a church in our community - we just didn't know which one at that time;

we haven't found the type of sermons we like until now.  Not that we haven't had great sermons and met wonderful people, but it just wasn't what fed us best.  We want to hear the Word of God as God intended it to be.  We want to know the Greek and Hebrew because it helps us understand what God is saying.  We don't want to skip the controversial information because Jesus never did.  So we are thankful, at this time in our lives, to be at Berean where it feels like every weekend, we get a "real meal deal" that meets us right where we're at! 

Oh, Barf!

Literally.  On Tuesday.  My last class.  My five year old girl spewed.  Not once.  But twice.  Then began to cry.  Matt thought she threw up blood.  It was raspberries.  Matt closed the pool.  Matt got to clean up raspberries.  I went home.

Thankful Thursday!

Over the course of years as we've waited on adoption, job situations, serving on the Africa Mercy, whatever, Sam and I would turn to each other and say these lines from an old Steve Camp song, 

"You ask me for answers,

I only have one,

A man loses his darkness,

When he follows the Son."

I saw my internist today.  A lot of questions.  No answers.  Yet.  Five vials of blood taken.  One stool sample yet to be collected.  One colonoscopy to be scheduled.  One medication to be changed.  If I flunk this test, it's obvious I have that.  If I pass this test, then I don't have that.  We wait. We see.  Today, I am ever thankful that we have excellent health care coverage unlike other countries in the world.

BUT WHAT!?!

Ever since my car went through the garage door in February, I have not been feeling well/healthy/normal.  I attributed it stress/life/stress.  Two weeks ago, I contacted my internist and shared with him the symptoms I was having and mentioned that when I saw him on April 12, I wanted to know if I was getting age-d or if maybe there was something more wrong with me.  He tried to get me in sooner, but our schedules just did not connect.

Fast forward to Sunday night, I said to Sam, "I need to see my doctor.  I'm not feeling well.  I'm going to send him an e-mail."  (Note:  every e-mail I have sent him, he has personally responded to.)

Imagine my surprise when I got this e-mail from his office early Monday morning (Note:  I took out names to protect, shall I say, the stupid!):

"Hi Margo,

This is S the triage nurse looking at Dr. E's schedule and talking to his nurse L. Dr. E does not have absolutely any openings earlier than April 12th.
If you want to get in sooner, we could get you scheduled possibly with one of his partners.

We do not keep a cancellation log unfortunately.
Call our clinic if you want to see a partner 952-.
Have a great rest of today!"  

Say what?!?  I can be patient and patient I was.  After all, I KNEW Dr. E had NOT sent that message!  C'mon folks!  I had all three of his boys in swimming lessons and our sons played soccer against each other while we sat and chatted!  Our spouses have met!

At 4:39 p.m. Monday, I got a call back from S.  Miraculously, Dr. E had an opening for 7:30 a.m. tomorrow (Thursday) morning.  I'm guessing he started looking at his messages around 4:30 p.m. on Monday and made time for me!  Thank you, Dr. E!

No telling what is wrong with me, but this I know - one of my labs came back off (as in I need a medication adjustment) and as I read up on the info they sent me, I have a lot of the symptoms that come with that lab being off.  Stay tuned for "Thankful Thursday!"    

Happy Easter!

We had the most delightful Easter dinner with Sam's aunt and uncle, George and Lenore, along with his cousin David and his family - Jeanette, Bre, and Loren, at George and Lenore's in Farmington.

Just two sweet smiles - Lenore had us all sit down for dinner.  She said everything was ready and we should all dig in.  Jeanette just reminded her, "What about the ham?"  

As we were leaving, Jeanette said, "I thought we were going to have green beans."  Lenore said, "Didn't we?  I got them all ready!"  Sure enough, they were right on the counter where she got them ready!