Thankful Thursday!

Today I am thankful that I have Jesus and He is my only hope!  I really don't know what people do without Him.  Maybe you can tell me . . .

I had just gotten home from walking Annie when I found this message on my phone:

"Well, dear friend, I have been doctoring . . .

And after many awful weeks and tests my doc

diagnosed me with ___________________

Go figure . . . 

Not ready to tell everyone yet, 

you, my dear are the first . . .

Not ready to talk yet . . ."

The only verse that I think is sharable is John 11:35, "Jesus wept", because I'm sure this is breaking His heart as much as it's breaking her heart as much as it's breaking mine.   

I certainly don't understand the "why's" and the "how's" and the "what for's".   I can only think, "Man, this sucks big time!"  However, I can take comfort in a Mighty God and know that He IS in control and I am thankful for that.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Isaiah 55:8-9 

I have to believe . . . 

BFF's

I ran into my friend, Deb, at Bible Study this morning.  She attends a different church so I was a bit surprised to see her, but she had wanted to do this study so she was here.  While we were talking. she lamented that fact that she was at the "sixties" table.  We're seated pretty much by age - although we have some forties at our fifties table!

Her lament?  "All we're praying for is bodily functions!"  

I told her to come on over to our table - we pray for more than that!  As we were laughing, a couple more women from my group came by and they agreed.  Deb should come join us.  After all, we're far more than a  . . . 

BODILY FUNCTIONS FAMILY! 

FIfteen TIps for Transracial Adoption

Last month we were asked by New Life, our adoption agency, if we had two or three tips for parents who were considering transracial adoption.  They would take the best of the tips and post them on the "New Life Adoptions" website.

Did we have tips?  Do birds fly?  Do fish swim?

We told them to print any of the ones we offered except for this one: "Bring your children to the country of their origin", thinking that just may not be realistic for most people.

We got the list on Friday and some of ours were winners!  I've colored them yellow.

Whether you have already adopted a child or you are just considering adoption, there is a lot to consider when it comes to transracial adoption. Families who have adopted transracially experience unique blessings, as well as unique challenges. Those who are living this journey have the best insight to what has been helpful to them, so here are some tips that we compiled from multiracial adoptive families who adopted through New Life Adoptions.

1. Live in a diverse area.
   • “We moved from Apple Valley to Richfield because it’s more diverse.”
   • “This is a big one… we moved for this reason. Kids need to see people who look like themselves every day.”
2.  Attend a multiracial adoption group. This connects your family with others who also experience the journey of both adoption and a multiracial family.
3. Attend a church where there are other families that look like your family.
   • “Our church has many families that are multiracial, including the pastor’s.”
4. Have friends, not just acquaintances, who are the same ethnicity as your child.
5. Make sure your children see people of their ethnicity in leadership roles.
   • “Choose doctors who reflect your child(ren)’s heritage. We went to a black allergist and I have a black gynecologist.”
6. Go places where you are the minority as a white parent.
   • “We occasionally attend our daughter’s birth grandmother’s church. My husband and I are the only white people in the church. This helps remind us how our kids can feel if we are in an all-white environment.”
7. Watch movies and TV shows that have positive images of people of color.
   • “Now that our kids are older (12 & 10) we have started watching TV shows that have positive images of black people on family night. We are currently watching Family Matters and recently watched the Gabby Douglass documentary.”
   • “We’ve watched some pretty gruesome movies, but our children have a very good understanding of slavery, how slaves became slaves, and what happened to them when they were slaves.”
8. Get to know the police officers in your community.
   • “The other day I got pulled over for turning right on red – oops!  When I rolled down my window for the officer, my daughter exclaimed ‘Oh I know you! You brought the police dog to national night out!’  And yes, I think it helped me not get a ticket.”
9. Create ways for your neighbors to get to know your children so they don’t just see their skin color.
   • “We take cookies to our neighbors at Christmas, attend national night out, and my son regularly visits with the neighbors as he is riding his bike. I’ve heard several compliments about how friendly my kids are.”
10. Read about racial issues and concerns and dialogue with people of color so that you can begin to understand what your child will have to navigate as they get older.
11. Read transracial adoptees’ points of view on transracial adoption.
    • “I wish we had read more, and knew more before we adopted. I think we thought it wouldn’t be a big deal, we would love any child the same. Which is true, we adore our daughter, but we will never know what it’s like to be Black and there isn’t a way to understand how she feels.”
12. Read books by authors who are of a different race than you. This will give you a different perspective of how people view the world through the characters.
13. Don’t be “colorblind.”
    • “Don’t act like there is no difference between you and your child’s skin color/physical features.”
    • “This does a disservice to kids of color. Our daughter noticed she looked different from us before she was 3, and she talked about it. Be prepared for some emotions around this.”
14. Ask for and accept advice, especially when it comes to hair and skin.
    • “Skin and hair care of other ethnicities can be quite different from yours. Do some reading and research, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.”
    • “I will always be blessed by the neighbor who dropped off a book on how to do black hair styles for my daughter and the neighbor who told me how to cut my son’s hair.”
15. If you adopt one child who does not share your ethnicity, seriously consider adopting again to give them a sibling of a similar race.

  

That YMCA Friday Bake Off!

Took an excellent twist in my favorite direction yesterday with double chocolate brownie bites!  Delicious!  Unfortunately, it was also the last day of lessons for the session . . .

Thankful Thursday . . .

This week, "Thankful Thursday" happened on Friday . . .

On Friday, when my second class didn't show up and I was able to swim during the lesson time.  What a bonus!

On Friday, when my coworker came in late and in tears.  I was able to listen to her, share her pain, and hopefully, encourage her.

On Friday, when one of my friend's broke down in tears at lunch.  It's been a hard-knock-life at their house.  Their only hope is Jesus and I get to pray for them.   

On Friday, when the vet determined antibiotics should take care of Annie's ears.  And that vet - the NEW one - is the only one who's ever gotten Annie to eat treats while in the office.  

 

Instructor Notification

I'm sure you were all losing sleep over would I be getting "Instructor Notification" for all of my future CPR-PR, First Aid and Emergency Oxygen classes at the Y.  The new answer is "yes."

Totally Terrible or Totally Terrific - You Decide!

Yes, you decide!  Did I have a totally terrible Tuesday or a totally terrific Tuesday yesterday?  I think the correct answer is "yes!".

Wouldn't you know - it was a four-people in the swim lane day!  It's only bad when you're the fastest swimmer and only Carla lets you pass.  Terrible

But then "the Tank" said she was leaving next week for a one-month vacation and Bill said he'd be gone, too, because his wife was having surgery (a good thing!) and he would swim sporadically over the next month.  Terrific

Your first class, two out of two children cry most of the time and they're coming back next session.  Terrible

Your second class, your best swimmer is crying and pouting.  Terrible

But your other three swimmers are loads of fun.  Terrific

Sterling Academy shows up late and gets to do the rope swing.  Terrific

It's also their last day.  Totally Terrific

Because it's their last day, you end up leaving work late which means you don't get the lunch you'd like to have before you pick up neighbor Jill for her ortho appointment.  Terrible  (no lunch)  Terrific (Jill)

Jill's doctor is running late.  Terrible

But she got her stitches out, she got a cam boot, she got to meet your friends Debbie and Emily (I spend far too much time at Twin Cities Ortho!) and she got home in time for her daughters' doctors appointments.  Terrific  

Her husband drove my car out of their garage without hitting his truck or their son's car.  Terrific (I am so not sure I could have done that!)

It was Matt's birthday and I did not get to see him.  Terrible

He didn't respond to a single one of my text's wishing him a "Happy Birthday!"

Terrible

I made him the dinner he wanted but he was at work so he didn't get to eat it with us.  Terrible

Heidi and Julie graciously offered to deliver the orders from my Stamping Up party so Sam and I dropped it off at their house last night.  Terrific

Matt did make it home before I went to bed so I did get to wish him a "Happy Birthday!" in person.  Terrific

TERRIBLE   8

TERRIFIC   9

I guess it was just one of those days . . .  

  

    

"Umm . . . No."

The phone rang at 9:05 a.m. yesterday morning, just as I brought a fork-full of hot scrambled eggs up to my mouth.  It was a name I didn't recognize, but since Micah was having a job interview in a couple of hours, I thought I'd better answer it . . . just in case . . .

Imagine my surprise when I found out it was for me!  It was Noah, the aquatics director at the Y.  His cell phone is under his mom's name, hence my lack of name recognition.

"Margo, you have CPR class this morning."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do.  You have people here for it."

"I checked with Barbara on Tuesday and the class was never put on Personify.  I was told there was no class and I didn't have to come in."

"Can you make it in?"

"No."  

"No" because I was in my pajamas, looking forward to eating my now cooling eggs and I had promised Micah I would straighten her hair after she washed it so she would look good for her job interview that afternoon.

"No" because when the links are sent out for the CPR classes, I have been asking Noah to include me in the links - please check the box marked "instructor notification."  He doesn't want to do that.  Everyone else in the world for the past eleven years has done it for me, but he doesn't want to.  Had he done it, I would have known there was a class yesterday regardless of what Barbara had said and I would shown up to teach it because I would have had a list of students in my in-box.

But I guess this is a discussion for Noah and I on Tuesday, the next day I work. Maybe I'll get what I want now - simple notification.  Meanwhile, Micah's hair looked great and she thought the job interview went well!    

Words to Live By

I first met Cynthia Heald at Eagle Lake Camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  Our friendship deepened and grew as we spent time together at the Navigators Glen Eyrie over for the next few years.  Cynthia just turned eighty.  She sent out the following 

"Lessons Learned from Walking with God":

• God's Word is all the truth you will ever need.
• Freedom from self is a choice.
• Trust God even when it doesn't make sense.
• You will never regret doing what is right.  
• Love in not optional.
• Foregiveness frees the forgiver.
• Your circumstances do not dictate your character.
• God is enough.

 

That Friday Morning YMCA Bake-off!

I tell you what, friends.  Riley arrived at swimming lessons this morning with an Amazon Prime box filled with heart-shaped pumpkin bars covered in home-made cream cheese frosting.  Then he apologized because his boys had got into the box and ate a portion of the bars for breakfast, so we had a "few" less than he would have liked!  LOL!  

You know, Katie and Hannah and their mom's response?  "Well, we're baking next week and it's going to be really, really good . . . "

All of a sudden, Friday mornings are a lot more fun than they used to be . . .

 

Thankful Thursday!

Looking at this picture, you might just think that I'm thankful for all the snow in our backyard.  Ummm . . . yes, but no!  What I'm thankful for is that this picture was taken at 5:15 p.m. and it was still daylight outside!  Spring is going to come . . .

My Bionic Knee

 I had my three month check-up today and asked for a copy of my x-rays because I find them amazing!

Check out the doctor's note!  Love it!  That's from the top of my bent knee looking down.

The one that says "cobalt chrome" tells you what the bionic portion of my knee is made of.  The "pillow" between the two pieces of cobalt chrome is made of polyethelene. 

The last pic is a side view.  I can't imagine that in one hour I had been sliced, diced, made bionic and sewn back together.  Wow!

 Unfortunately, the next three months may be my most painful as my muscles grow back together and encase my cobalt chrome. 

                  

Oh, what a cake!

This is the cake that Micah made for me.

I guarantee it tasted as good as it looks! 

No box mix here!

To me . . .

My Mom always loved that . . .

I was born on February 11

at 11 p.m.

weighing 6 pounds, 5 ounces (6 + 5 = 11)!

Jill Update.

Neighbor Jill did have a broken ankle, along with her first surgery ever Tuesday afternoon where they put in a plate and screws.  Of course, it would be her right ankle.  She is now off of it for five more weeks and two long days!

Only at Sand Creek!

I bet you weren't expecting to hear that for a few more months, except that I got a text from our course manager on Friday night.  She'd been at a trade show and found harnesses that had FRID tracking chips:

They've decided that all the gear I use this summer will have RFID so they will know what I've taken home.  

It seems like I was texting Anna on a regular basis:  "I still have a SCA jacket on.  I'll bring it back with me on . . . ", "I found a walkie talkie in my pocket when I got home . . . ", "I can't believe I'm still wearing my harness!" 

I just told them it was about time they put me under quantity control!

Thankful Thursday!

I'll have to say, this week just wasn't "Thankful Thursday", but we're going all out for - "what a thankful week!"

Heading back to Tuesday, when the snow began to fall and didn't bother to stop, we had a total of twelve children show up for swimming lessons at the Y that evening instead of the usual forty to fifty.  It was lovely.  I had several good one-on-one parent discussions.  For those, I was thankful.

Wednesday, Micah and I volunteered at Feed My Starving Children's South Metro Manna Pack held at Berean.  For a greater part of five hours, we put labels on bags, bored beyond tears.  But the one time I went to the snack room, the woman making supper for the FMSC staff, pulled a container of HOT spaghetti sauce out of the oven, spilling quite a bit on herself.  I'm thankful I was there to help "cool the burn".

Thursday, one could only be thankful for the sweetest kids in swimming lessons.  I'm glad they were mine!

Friday's thankfulness?  Read on . . . 

"Anything you can bake, I can bake better . . . "

This all began three weeks ago Friday . . . 

When Katie and Hannah brought ginger snap cookies to me at their 11:10 swim lesson.  Right after their lesson, I had Riley, one of the dad's, in a CPR class.  

I asked Riley as I was eating one of my ginger snaps, "How come you've never made me cookies?"

He replied, "You don't have my kid."

Well, he's right.  I am not his son's current teacher, but I did have his older son a few years back.  Bless his co-workers who began team harassment all through CPR, "encouraging" Riley to bring me cookies! 

So two weeks ago, Riley came through with Scottish shortbread cookies for Kate and I - and I let his co-workers know two things:  Riley brought cookies and they were good!

This week, Hannah and Katie brought scotcheroos - delicious!  But the best part had to be when their mom turned to Riley and said, "So can you top this next week?" 

Kate had already left and I was just walking out the door, when Riley, with a thoughtful expression on his face, said, "Do you like pumpkin?"

Stayed tuned . . . as the bake-off continues!

 

"We're Really Really Good!"

In our awesome hairnets - Chris, Bob, Nancy, Eden, Brian, Margo, Mary & Micah

"We're neighbors in the 'hood!"

Yup, these are the neighbors (minus Erik and Tom who were working in the warehouse) who joined us at Feed My Starving Children Manna Pack Friday night.  According to Eden, our group packed twenty-one boxes of food.  Our time slot packed 544 boxes of food, providing 117,504 meals to starving children around the world.  

Sweethearts!

Back in the day, when birthday treats were allowed in elementary school, my mom bought SWEETHEARTS for me to give out for my birthday - the hazard of having a birthday close to Valentine's Day.  EVERY. SINGLE.  YEAR. SWEETHEARTS.  From kindergarten through sixth grade, SWEETHEARTS.  She liked them. She thought they were funny.  She thought they were cute.  I despised them, save for the "nasty" ones my girlfriend gave me one year (think "you stink" rather than "I love you").  I found those hilarious! 

I am happy to report that I read in today's paper, after 116 years, those tasteless, chalky SWEETHEARTS will no longer be made.  Truthfully, what good is candy without chocolate? 

Paying It Forward . . .

Some of you will remember, that a little over a year ago, while I was walking Annie, I found my neighbor Kent who had fallen off his roof. He had multiple injuries but is doing fine today - as evidenced by downhill skiing with a friend on his one year "fall" anniversary.   

Neighbor Kent called just as I returned from having my blood drawn this morning.  Today, while Jill-from-the-top-of-the-hill was walking her dog, she fell in front of Kent's driveway, injuring her ankle.  She crawled up his icy driveway, pounded on his door, he brought her home and I'm not sure if her husband or an ambulance brought her to the ER.  She's pretty sure her ankle is broken.  We're still waiting to hear.  

Kent was just grateful that he was home and able to pay it forward.

I, on the other hand, am thinking:

1. Stay away from Kent's driveway.
2. Do not walk the dog.    

Fantastic Friday!

You know it's a great day at work when . . . 

• Gabby's mom is thrilled that you have her doing "front blast off's" by herself with her face in the water - something she's never done before!
• Sidney's mom is thrilled that you're getting her to move her arms correctly on her front and back crawls because even PT and OT can't get her to move her arms that far!
• Kate and Hannah's mom is thrilled that her daughters are learning to swim and doing it well! 
• Margo is thrilled that Riley brought her cookies and she doesn't even have his kids! Of course, I do have to share with Katie, Riley's kids teacher!

Husband Rant

Sam didn't have school on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday of this week due to bad weather.  He caught up on a lot of correcting and made some lesson plans.

This morning he went to school.  At 8:45 a.m., the phone rang.  

"Margo, I forgot the papers I corrected at home.  Can you bring them to school before you go to work?"

"No."  (Don't worry. I didn't bring stuff to the kids either.)

"Can anyone else bring it?"

"No."  

Lest you think I'm totally cold-hearted, I did say, 

"I'll bring them after work."  

"When will that be?"

"I don't know."

I did have an idea that it would be around one or later, but I really couldn't give him an exact time.  He was lucky.  I got them there before 1:00 p.m. and I waited until I got home to have lunch.