5 Things I Love About Spring!

Thought I'd join in with my list after reading Gretchen's the other day.

1. Easter! It wasn't always my favorite holiday. My favorite used to be Christmas. Then about 6 years ago, it dawned on me what "He is risen!" really means. Jesus Christ suffered and died to pay the debt of every sin ever committed, then 3 days later he rose again. And because He chose to do so, we all have an opportunity to spend eternity in heaven.

2. The colors. I love seeing all the colors of spring. Deep purple irises with yellow centers (my favorite flower since I can remember, as far back as 1st grade). The candies, even if I don't eat them, they are still so pretty to look at. The backgrounds for blogs. New green leaves on trees. Yellow baby chicks. I could go on and on...

3. The weather. We usually have an early spring in Texas; it's one of the things I love about my home state. I love, love, love (or maybe that should be lurve) sitting on my back porch drinking coffee early in the morning on a spring day. I even like the thunderstorms that come in Spring, as long as I'm in the safety of my home to watch them.

4. Longer days! The only thing I don't like is the hour of sleep I lose when we "spring forward". I love it that there is still sunshine even after we've eaten dinner. That's when my hubby and I love to sit out on our back porch and talk and enjoy a cool breeze.

5. A sense of renewal. Springtime makes me feel like I can have a fresh start, so much more than New Year's does. When I see the grass growing again and the trees with new leaves, it inspires me to get started again on the things that have become stagnant in my life. Rains come and then the sun shines, nurturing new plants and in turn, nurturing my soul.

Yes, Spring is by far my favorite season!

Exciting News!

After over a month of keeping my mouth shut (who knew I could do that?) about the fact that I knew my oldest daughter's boyfriend E was going to propose to her, it has finally happened. E had invited my husband and me to dinner to ask us our blessing back in February. Then Saturday night, at a small concert with quite a few of their friends, E totally shocked M when he had a song dedicated to her. He had planned ahead of time with the singer for him to change the name in a song called "Marry Me, Mary" to say M's name instead. How sweet is that??? I've told this story probably 20 times today and every time I get tears in my eyes. I'm thrilled at the prospect of having E be part of our family and also thrilled that my daughter is so happy.

Also this weekend, K had her senior pictures taken. We used a photographer who had been recommended by my best friend. She did such a great job, especially considering this is the child who simply doesn't understand why anyone would smile without a good reason. The photographer only has a small amount of the pictures online for viewing, but I've already seen one with K's real smile. I am so glad we chose this photographer!

Today was the first day back to work after Spring Break and I'm still not feeling great, but I'm getting there. By lunch time, I was really ready for a nap. So I figure I will crash the moment I get home, hopefully to get a nap in before dinner time.

Still trying to get better...

It's not like I haven't been trying to take care of myself. I've spent the majority of every day since Saturday either in the recliner or the bed. I've taken all my medicine like a good girl. I've been drinking plenty of fluids. I don't think I've ever slept so much during a week in my entire life. And I've done all of that while looking at all the mounds of laundry/dishes/dusting/etc. that I hoped to catch up on during my Spring "Break"....

After 3 1/2 days on antibiotics, I was getting worse. Fever, chills, more coughing, and my left lung hurt. So I hauled my sick self back to the doctor (this time to one of the doctors in the same group as my regular doc). He listened to my chest and said it didn't sound so good, so I went for x-rays. And the verdict is...... pneumonia. More yuck.

So I started on a stronger antibiotic, and a stronger cough medicine as of Wednesday afternoon. I think it's helping. I haven't had as much fever and I actually slept through time to take cough/pain meds this morning.

Maybe I will be just well enough to go to work Monday morning??? I'm going back to sleep...

Sure not what I had planned...

I usually consider myself to be a fairly healthy person. Yes, I'm overweight, I have high blood pressure (did even when I was in MUCH better shape though), I have thyroid disease, and I have a really weird heart problem. Still, I have always thought of my self as healthy. I'm definitely a "glass half full" kinda girl, I guess.

Lately, even though I have an optimistic nature, I've begun to wonder...am I really a healthy person? I have been almost constantly sick since the beginning of the year. I had a stomach virus that lasted a week to start off the year. A couple of weeks later, I had the flu and that took me weeks before I really felt fully recovered. Then I had maybe two weeks where I felt good again. Then I started coughing Friday before last, but it seemed like I got over the worst of that pretty quickly. I never completely stopped coughing though, and now I'm coughing worse..like the hacking up a lung, rattling chest type of coughing. Ughhh...

I hate going to the doctor. And it's the weekend. And I don't know where there is a clinic open close to me. And my family is off camping all weekend. Still, I think I'm going to have to find a doctor somewhere.

This is so totally not how I wanted to start my spring break...

Updating to say that I did go to a clinic. They did blood work and said that I have a bacterial infection (respiratory), so I'm on antibiotics and cough medicine now. Glad I went, so that maybe I can get better soon and actually enjoy spring break. :)

Checking In

Just checking in to say I've missed blogland this week! I've been assisting with state testing all week long. Consequently, I haven't been doing my usual duty in ISS and haven't had time to blog. That's ok though, because in a little more than 24 hours, spring break starts!!!!! Till then... :)

Hurt

Why is it that I let certain things bring me down so fast? I can be feeling great in one moment, but then something relatively minor happens and I feel so depressed...especially when it comes to my mother.

I called my mother this evening, half out of obligation since it's been a while. I only got to talk to her for a couple of minutes before K called. K really needed to talk to me about something, so I told mom I'd call her back in a few minutes. Fifteen minutes later I called mom back (and after the talk with K, I really needed to talk to my mom) and I got the question "Don't you watch American Idol?" I told her yes...she laughed this weird laugh she does sometimes (maybe because she knows it's not right what she's doing?) and we got off the phone. The thing I don't get is that she had to have noticed the frustration (and the big sigh) in my voice when I called back. So why isn't it important enough to her to find out why? Why is American Idol more important?

I was reading a book today by Max Lucado called The Great House of God. In it, he talks about our redemption and adoption as children of God, how much He cares for us. Like any adoptive parent, "God sought you, found you, signed the papers, and took you home". As I read the book, I smiled and my eyes teared up as I thought about how very thankful I am that I am God's child. And part of the reason that means so much to me is that I have struggled so much with things my earthly parents have done.

It hurts to be essentially told I'm not as important as a television show. It's one of those times when I cling to God. I cling to scripture. I cling to the words of Christian authors. I cling to music and lyrics of people who understand how painful this world can be. Then I am reminded that it won't always be this way.


There Will Be a Day
Jeremy Camp

I try to hold on to this world with everything I have
But I feel the weight of what it brings, and the hurt that tries to grab
The many trials that seem to never end, His word declares this truth,
that we will enter in this rest with wonders anew

But I hold on to this hope and the promise that He brings
That there will be a place with no more suffering

(Chorus)
There will be a day with no more tears,
no more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place,
will be no more, we'll see Jesus face to face
But until that day, we'll hold on to you always

I know the journey seems so long
You feel you’re walking on your own
But there has never been a step
Where you’ve walked out all alone

Troubled soul don’t lose your heart
Cause joy and peace he brings
And the beauty that’s in store
Outweighs the hurt of life’s sting

But I hold on to this hope and the promise that He brings

That there will be a place with no more suffering

(Chorus)

I can’t wait until that day where the very one I’ve lived for always
will wipe away the sorrow that I’ve faced
To touch the scars that rescued me from a life of shame and misery
this is why this is why I sing

(Chorus)

Romans 8:18 (New International Version)

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.