Around 9:30 p.m., they decided to go outside and shoot fireworks. They had just cleaned up the leftover debris, and a police car came driving though our neighborhood, an extreme rarity.
This morning, we discovered Sam's truck, which is parked on the street, was egged. The neighbor's car parked right behind his truck was not. Hmmm . . . my math says someone was unhappy with the fireworks - that were done before 10:00 p.m.!
The land line (yes, Sam insists we have one of those) rang around 9:30 p.m. Friday night, which really isn't late, but it is later than most telemarketers work so we knew something was wrong somewhere - and Matt wasn't home!
Sure enough - he was actually on his way home and got a flat tire on 35W - and he didn't have what he needed to repair it in his car. "Micah to the rescue!" as I was in my pajamas and Sam still can't drive.
Sadly, Matt had to work on Saturday, so he wasn't able to get new tires. Shops aren't open today, and he works again tomorrow. So guess who's car he's been borrowing? Mine! Yeah! Not.
Thankfully, today was the last day of swimming lessons for me. Not that I didn't love my kids and parents - they were wonderful! But I find it a bit pathetic that I drove home every day with the heat ON in my car trying to thaw out before I got a hot shower - irregardless of WHAT the outside temperature was!
Thankful Thursday actually happened last night. Sam and I were walking around the block to exercise his knee and all of a sudden, he could no longer bear weight on his right leg. He collapsed to the ground.
Fortunately, two neighbors who were outside started to run over. Twenty years in our neighborhood and we had never met Jeff - until last night. We'd seen him outside, been annoyed by his little white yippy dog every time we walked by his house, and said "Hi" probably a thousand times or so. He was the first one on the scene. "I'm going to get my car and bring you home. Can you get in my car?"
Kayla, the nurse, stopped running when Jeff beat her. I gave her the thumbs up and she went back to her to daughters who were playing in the yard - although I did receive several texts from her throughout the night.
We actually "met" Jeff while he was driving us home and thanked him again after he helped me get Sam in the backseat of my car. Then Sam and I were off to TCO Urgent Care where he got the same PA he had had the first time he went in for his knee.
While she thought it was too early for another MRI, her concern is that there may be a fluid sac behind Sam's knee causing his pain. She encouraged him to ice and elevate and see his PT today.
Sam's PT today didn't agree with her diagnosis and wants him to contact his surgeon. He left a message today but has yet to receive a return phone call.
I am so thankful for the neighbors who came to our rescue last night!
I was grumbling about it as I drove to the Y because I had to take a longer route and wait at more stop lights and . . . I looked up at the sky and there was a rainbow, a sign of God's promise. Had I gone my usual way to the Y, I would have never seen it!
After two Covid postponements this summer, we were finally able to get together yesterday at Allison and Logan's house for some 3FT (Forced Family Fun Time - although no one felt forced!) with the FOOs (Family of Origin):
Matt and Josie enjoying a family-free moment
Matt, Lincoln, me, Kingsley, Allison, Logan, Micah, Sam and Kennedy
I have to say, the biggest laugh of the day was Lincoln ending Matt and Josie's family-free moment by attacking them with his nerf guns! Matt was able to take one away and join in the action while Josie just tossed the little nerf darts right back at Lincoln! 
Matt's favorite little sister is getting bigger!
Here's the link to the transracial adoption panel Sam and I were on for our adoption agency, New Life Family Services, back in February:
https://vimeo.com/701764371/08c3153b39
I just watched it today - it is a rainy day and a Saturday! I found it worth the viewing because I gained new insights on transracial adoption from the other couples who were sharing.
There is so much to be thankful for this Thursday . . .
Every time I sing it, I like to ask my students "What do you like to eat on top of your pancakes?"
I couldn't hold in the laughter yesterday when Grant responded with "Cucumbers!"
When I got home from work today, he was stressing out a bit. "I know I can't eat after midnight and I can't have anything to drink four hours before my surgery, but CAN I HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE? I CAN'T MAKE IT WITHOUT A CUP OF COFFEE!"
Easy peasy. "Call Sammi and ask her." She's Dr. Johnson's care team rep. He did. She said yes. Now Sam is happy!
Seriously, in my parent/child class this morning, two of my families have no air conditioning. One is having a repair person on Friday and the other is getting one on Monday. Of course, that doesn't mean they'll be fixed that day, but it does bring hope!
This afternoon, I saw my friend Deb who said their air conditioning went out on Sunday, but they were able to get it fixed on Monday for $165.00. Interestingly, their neighbor stopped by and said their air conditioner had also gone out and the repair person would be there in THREE weeks! Deb and I agreed - call someone else!
After my class with two fourth graders finished doing their bobs Tuesday morning, I asked them who had read the night before:
G: "It's summer break. We're not supposed to read."
O: "My mom's a music teacher so I got to read Dr. Suess."
It was another epic fail on Monday night. I was at Black Hawk again to teach a First Aid class after last week's disastrous CPR class. Once again, it was computer failure. The first computer spit out the DVD. The second computer did likewise. My class of five waited patiently, offered what I thought was helpful advice and walked out at 7:10 p.m. - one hour and ten minutes after class was supposed to start.
Teija and I have a new plan for NEXT week. We have a NEW DVD - it was once lost but has since been found. I am bringing my laptop from home. Should the District DVD's continue with their bad behavior, we will use mine!
Fortunately, the class agree to come back and try one more time - and this time, we only have to watch the videos because we completed the hands-on skills Monday night.
It appears that not only is there a shortage of lifeguards right now, but there's also a shortage of W.S.I.'s - Water Safety Instructors. Mine, amazingly enough, remains current and this summer I was asked to teach swimming lessons at Black Hawk Middle School in Eagan.
Knowing that this was Teija's first summer as the Aquatics Director and that W.S.I. numbers were short, I said I would with two qualifiers:
I met with my rheumatologist at 8 a.m. this morning and got news I've been wanting to hear since 2018! My polymyalgia rheumatica appears to be in remission! I'll have blood work in six months and another appointment in six months, but . . . things are looking good!
Since I was feeling so good, we talked about life - his new niece, his upcoming vacation, the shortage of rheumatologists in the Twin Cities. He ended our time with, "I've had so much fun talking with you I think we should bill my insurance for your visit!"
I paid with a $2.00 bill. His response was, "Wow. I've never seen one of those before," and then handed me a $1.00 bill back. A $1.00 Coke is actually $1.07. I should have just taken the money and run, but I said, "You gave me $1.00. You should have given me ninety-three cents back." I handed him the dollar bill and he gave me one quarter, one nickel and one penny. I said, "I actually get three quarters, one dime, one nickel and three pennies back." He looked at me. He took the money back. I said, pointing to the quarters in the till, "I get three of those - twenty-five, fifty, seventy-five cents. Now I get one dime." He looked at the dimes and he gave me a nickel. I told him I wanted one of the small silver ones which is a dime and a nickel which he was holding. I told him we were up to ninety cents and now I needed three pennies and I would have the right change. Got it!
Yikes!
Honestly, today I'm thankful mammograms are only once a year!
And that the technicians are always so gracious!
Sam and I met with my knee surgeon this morning and got the results of his MRI. You have to love Dr. Johnson! He said Sam's right knee shows little to no arthritis, it is actually in very good shape, but . . .
There is a tear in his meniscus that Dr. Johnson will be repairing next Thursday afternoon!
As I went by Ryan's house on my afternoon walk today, he was outside with his mom and her childcare kids. Ryan is a seventh grader who I've gotten to know over the years because of dog walking. He was stressed/nervous. His mom had watered plants today and found a baby bird in one of their hanging planters on the deck. They were able to get the planter down but couldn't get it back up. (His mom has vertigo and wasn't even going to try.) Would I be willing to put it up so the kids woulds bother the bird?
Nailed it! First try! Happy mom. Happy Ryan. Hopefully, happy bird!
We received word today, that after thirty months without a lead pastor at our church, Rev. Dr. Deven MacDonald, together with his family, from London, Ontario, has accepted our position! We are excited! We enjoyed a question and answer time with him at church last Friday night and his heart for Jesus as he shared from the pulpit on Sunday. Now, may the immigration process go quickly . . .
I taught CPR last night over at Black Hawk Middle School in Eagan. Thanks to a gracious lady at the chiropractor's office who let me jump ahead of her in line, I actually made it to work on time, surprising my boss who knew I might be late.
We were setting up the space when it hit us - we did not have our DVD for the class. We knew exactly when and where we had had it last, but it obviously didn't make the move from Falcon to Black Hawk. Teija said, "No worries. I have a spare DVD at my office. I'll run over and get it. It will only take me ten minutes. Just stall." Right.
Class started at 6 p.m. My first person showed up at 6:10 p.m. My next two showed up at 6:35 p.m. - just before Teija arrived with the DVD - forty minutes after she told me it would only take ten minutes!
Fortunately, they were a great class! We had some good laughs and a fun time! Unfortunately, we were all a bit tired so I decided to skip a few of the redundant videos and get us out of there on time!
After killing himself a few weeks ago turning over the mulch in our backyard (which, by the way, looks pretty fantastic!) and replanting three astilbe and one coral belle, Sam took his right knee over to Twin Cities Ortho Urgent Care this week. Now he's scheduled for an MRI on Monday and he'll be seeing my knee surgeon on Wednesday. The early prognosis is a torn meniscus. Depending on what he finds out when he meets with Dr. Johnson on Wednesday will determine the remainder of our summer. Bummer.
Ever the optimist, Sam said, "Well, I hopefully won't have to miss any school."😆
For years, we've been talking about the bathroom off of our bedroom and how we need to update it. THIS was going to be the summer!
The worst feature is the corner shower which is scary beyond all belief - unless you've lived in Africa. Then it becomes a desire to replace it, not a necessity. Over this past week, we've had to remind ourselves of that SEVERAL times!
We were looking at doing it ourselves until Sam (details on the next post) . . . Our first estimate came in between $12,000-$14,000, depending on if we wanted brushed nickel or chrome. FOR. JUST. A. SHOWER!!! Our second estimate was even higher - $18,000 for brushed nickel and not much lower for chrome. The third estimate we honestly thought was an installer coming to talk with us about doing it, but it was just another salesperson. We didn't even hear his pitch! We sent him home.
We can not justify spending more on a desire that costs more than our car! Oh, the things we could do with that amount of money . . . but it's doubtful it's a shower this year! I considered a "Go Fund Me" page for a bit, but now I'm working on contentment.
Who knows? The first offer is sending us the "boss" on Monday to give us an "offer we just can't refuse!"
Odds are, we might just be able to!
Thursday morning at Bible study, I sat next to a lady whom I had never met before. We started with the basics:
"Where do you live?"
"Off Kenwood Trail."
"Me, too." I share a few directions to our house and get the next question:
"I have a friend who lives over there. Do you know Liz *****?"
"Well, there's a 'Liz' across the street, but I don't know her last name."
"She has one son."
"Eddie?"
Big smile on her face. "Yes!"
"Lives with Paul? That's my neighbor!"
So we took a selfie and sent it to Liz who responded with "Oh, my goodness! She's awesome! Please say hello!!!"
I am thankful I took the initiative, met a new friend, and was able to share just a bit of Jesus with Liz!
It was an offer we just couldn't refuse! I mean, look at all those cool things we could win😂! With a tote bag, to boot! Perfect for Aldi's!
Truthfully, we had signed up over six weeks ago - long before we knew any of this! As we drove over to Burnhaven Library, the stakes were high! We agreed that if we were both able to give, we were having lunch out!
We walked in to the blood drive a few minutes before 10 a.m., the first customers of the day! Right off the bat, one of the phlebotomists took a look at us and said, "I remember you! I took your blood last time you gave!"
Margo's first finger prick: 11.1
Micah's first finger prick: 11.0
Things were NOT looking good for lunch today!
Margo's second finger prick: 13.0 We have a winner!
Micah's second finger prick: 12.9 We had lunch out!
 |
. . . I rescued Sam at Eagle Lake Camp, we're still having fun with water!
. . . of marriage today with our neighbors, Tom and Nancy:
 |
| . . . with a delicious cake by Micah! |
Sam, Micah and I drove down to Lake Park to see Dad yesterday. He had our day planned: wash his sheets, clean his air conditioner, help him buy new shoes, help him buy groceries and get his mail. We had a lovely day as evidenced by these pictures:
 |
| An excellent lunch at Godfather's |
