American Sewers Guild day out with my sister

What a wonderful day I had today.

.

My sister drove down to get me and then we went back up to Scottsdale to where the meeting is held. We went to a Starbucks for a scone and coffee. Her treat she insisted. She said she had been given a gift card by a client. Goodness those drinks are delightful. Not something I ever do, except twice now with her.

We had a fabric/pattern exchange. It was amazing the things that came home with me. One woman thought of me and purchased several very old sewing machine feet including a ruffle foot and a binding foot. in an original box at a thrift store for .50! after checking the height they will get passed onto another woman who gave me her number. I am sure she will be thrilled. I came home with batting some fabric and a pattern perfect for the master bedroom window valence. Just exactly what I drew out when designing them. So cool how good it is when the angles are sent to look out for us.

Across the way there was an Indian (Navajo) market of artist.

Drums and a hoop dancer. Much like this young man, stock image.It was so wonderful to stand, sun on my back amerced into the beat of the drum. A time of still worship. My sister standing by my side. We are becoming friends. 

Afterward we took the left over fabrics and patterns down to the Hospice thrift store. Of course we had to go into play. Oh my! I saw this beaded top and loved it, then found the pants.

 The pants are like new 80% silk, 25% off of $3.!

Fit and were high waist just perfect for the top.

 That smile is after my sister was looking to see the maker tags. 

It is a boutique item'

 Under the makers tag she found the yellow price tag. It said $412. It was 25% off of $5.!!!!!!!

The beading is all the way around the top, hand painted and embroidered.

click the image. 

We three stood there in laughter.

I think this is just about the best deal I have ever made on a sale.

Note the color of the polish. I just painted them last night! I never have worn this color, it was a gift for my birthday. It is the very same color as the outfit!

Found three pair of shoes thrilled at $10 a pair they were all marked down to $2. These are NEW! someone donated them, the hand bag was only $5 it is like NEW

Matches the outfit. Can you believe it! I was just telling Poppa yesterday that I would like to take better care and dress better. Even did the manicure/pedicure for myself in prayerful self respect. A dear friend of mine had written about the condition of our feet showing character. Got me to thinking that taking efforts and time to care for myself is not a treat it is a responsibility.

Came home with several other things as well.
A like new Cuisinart ice cream maker for $7.50. They sell for $50. new. I was watching a show called 'Good Eats' studying how to make home made ice cream, not but two weeks ago.

We had a real nice time together.

After a bit of a rest the kids and I watched two movies together. I did fall asleep during the second on 'brother bear'. They are asleep now. So should I be getting there as well.

It was a beautiful day of 'play', good company and interest.

My Sister is alright

Thank you everyone for your prayers for her. she said she is fine. In late February she is scheduled for her other knee replacement. She can still use prayer for sure. We are actually meeting in the morning for coffee before the American Sewers Guild meeting. We have a fabric/pattern exchange.
I need to rest soon for the pillow did not great my head till after 2:30 a.m. the surgery sort of messed up my sleep cycle.
My port is better today, however tonight it is feeling tired as in pain is increasing. Just need to rest. Made it through the day without pain medication. It will be used tonight so rest can greet me more easily.
I saw the report of the Labs taken before the last infusion. Shows real improvement. I will better be able to fight off bacteria between infusions. Helps me be able to go into crowds without the threat.
Thank you all for the prayers. Tomorrow will be even better. My next infusion is on the 15th so the wound will be healed enough to be scrubbed sterile. Oh it will be so much less frightening knowing that lydican right at port and only the one stick will be a minimal pain. I am so grateful.

What an invitation!

Good Morning
Oh how funny! Well you know you have arrived when you get an invitation from AARP to join. Ha! Oh this is just too rich. In email, hay! how did they know I am turning 50?

Noun

1.

AARP - an association of people to promote the welfare of senior citizens Association for the Advancement of Retired Persons association - a formal organization of people or groups of people

Thankful Thrusday: My new I V port

the new portacath

Here is the new me. 

Weird to have a devise in my chest. In the first image you can see just how swollen my jugular vain is. It was black and blue last night but looks much better today.

It is surgically sealed with a glue. The catheter went in at the upper incision then up into the jugular about two inches up where it is swollen, then down over the collar bone into the device called a port. The surgeon said that I was very fortunate that I have the best port on the market. It is titanium with a very low profile. The older ones stick farther out. He said he felt that it would be better to use it on me due to my smaller frame. The port is just above the lower incision. A bump looking thing. Still pretty sore this morning. So far Tylenol is helping. the kids got off to school 45 minutes ago.
My dear sister watched them yesterday morning. She fell on the outside sidewalk. The kids took some blocks we had stacked out by the trash cans and maid playing props out of them. She did not see then in the dark of the morning and took a dive onto both her knees. The ones that have a replacement in it, the other is being replaced in February. Please say a prayer for her I am so concerned for her. Thank you for your love and prayers.
My shoulder is a bit more limber, however I better quit before I regret typing.
Be Blessed

surgery went well

thNKS
MY RIGHT ARM IS NOT TO ABLE TO USE
THE ENTRY WAS AT THE NECK JUGULAR NECK IS TERRIBL TIGHT AND PAINED
LEFT HAND HERE
PORT IS BLACK/BLUE 4X4" CALLED ITS NORMAL
LOOKED FINE WHEN I GO  T HOME
MY HEAD IS HELD UP WITH PILLOW

BRUING /SWRLLING ICEING HELPS

THS TOO SHALL PASS
ALL THE STAFF was aWsOME GREAT DOC
OH TYPO STANDS ;) Oh IM DONE TYPE NOW
THANKS PRAYER BLESS YA ALL
pain pills rest
g nite

well chores are set

Laundry is all washed. Still need to hang it up.
After tomorrow I will not be able to use my upper body strength for 10 days. It is a strange feeling the night before something like this. Much easier to just zone out.

If you know folks who have medically intense lives call them, love them.

Pray for dear hearts like Shorty Bear and those who know such great pains of body. Take good care of yourself and be grateful for your good health.
My sister will come at 6 a.m. to relieve us so we can hit the road into the city.
Dash wanted to make sure she knew how to fix sunny side up eggs:) Dove was concerned 'if she knew how to get them ready for school'.

they will miss me in the morning. my surgery is in the early a.m. so we should get home around 2 if all goes well.
I'll come say hi on the other side.

Surgery for Port

Let me preface this 

with a big 

I am so blessed!

The doctor and I have been researching some different options for me. We were looking into a process called sub-cutaneous but with low IgA levels I am not a candidate. It is a relatively new process as well. I If I tried it the likelihood of shock is there and it could cause my body to build more anti bodies to IgA. Not good.

Today was set an appointment to go to Good Samaritan Hospital Wednesday morning. My sister will come here at 6 a.m. We will have a long distance to travel but this fellow is a specialist in the field that has done many port insertions. I will have a device set with a catheter under my clavicle (upper chest). It will remain there most likely the rest of my days.
The port will ease the difficulties faced due to several sticks at every infusion. My veins are being blown out. I may even be able to numb the site before the nurse gets here.

It took me all day to try to find a specialist to do the port at the end of it all(after I finally found one)

this organization 

was stumbled upon.

I feel worn out just calling all the numbers of insurance, doctors and all. the coordinator was stunned that I got so far. God is good. After a $100 deductible it is covered at 100%. God is good. So blessed am I to have such awesome insurance. There is a very remote (not heard of except in children) chance that my body will yet be able to be free of the need for infusions. I can still hope. Even so it will be at least two years of monthly infusions. The port will make it so much less stressful. Infections are yet the greatest concern. There will be a 10 day no lift from the upper body thing. It is out patient.

 Here 

is a site that shows the process of how my IVIG will be given here after. It will be done at home still. I will have the same awesome infusion nurse. I feel a little worn out and tired. To have gotten into an appointment for the day after tomorrow!

Goals for 2011 Thinking it through

Subjects set are...

• Relationships: Friday family nights, schedule time alone with kids and husband, return e-mails/comments and visit friends blogs, set up time with friends, Stopping what I am doing when the kids are inviting me into their world and thoughts,reaching out by phone or email, thank you notes, take time to send love notes, stop all/everything and just embrace, blog hop and comment
• Homemaking: menu each week, laundry weekly, schedule termite service $$bummer!, patch walls, decor and do inventory, manage said inventory, coupon collection, keep weekly track of refrigerator using all left overs, Keep Monday - Saturday schedule (see side bar), organize property
• Spiritual: Prayer for husbands employers bosses bosses and up the line, prayer for clean hands and pure heart, Scripture time, being a better example to others, service work, get finger printing done for elementary school volunteering, collect and giveaway items we no longer use, Keep a day of rest by getting task done before Sunday
• Physical: walks, reduce sugar intake, drinking water when tempted toward sugar, 'way of life plan', foot care schedule weekly, hearing aides, eye apt for family, looking into port surgery for infusions, a pound a week drop, kids well visits, physical for Steve, work on infusion stress, get mono  inoculations for kids, schedule colonoscopy, grow nails back out,
• Parenting : 100 things I like about you list, set structure to create a better work ethic in the kids, everyday ask 1. are you drugging or drinking...why or why not? 2. are you sending internet images...why or why not? they need to know WHY they say no  (by the way this really annoys them:) asking the 5 W's every day what, when, who, why and where. This will emphasis to them self the reasons why NOT to do it. Library each week with kids, support them to have and set goals, Dove to Jr High set up the college prep class, set up new chores lists and charts for kids, teach them a new skill (chore) each month, Study adolescent/teen development to be prepared and proactive, eye to eye contact listening to them even if it may not be interesting to me
• Educational: renew interests in birding, garden and flowers, work on Novel editing, do a study on the power of kindness, study body language, sign language, adult and childhood development, study garden information,  recipe books, topical scripture study, study ebay selling,
• Creative outlet: tend to studio, bead and sewing desk, make gifts and set aside for kids bday parties, friends and each gender. Make things to offer up to sell, write, blog posting, poetry, sew new clothing, attend American Sewers Guild meetings, scrap booking, quilt for son, valance for master bedroom,
• Pet and Garden care: walks with each dog, chicken coop and greens, compost turning, study of plants and ready a spring garden, look into water collection tank to rid it of algae, rid yard of rocks and fill in the edging with dirt, feed wild birds, dog baths, get new red wiggler worms for garden in the spring
• Financial: Keep budget up to date weekly or even daily, save monthly, taxes quickly done and filed, files up to date, Adoption records organized, Look into the % to set next years tax on income, sell some of the home school books,  keep to budget use a end of summer trip to motivate us, set up automatic payroll to save a little for each kids college funding, sell trailer, hearing aids, Kids compensation (not allowance) for non family tasks, set aside $ for each kids bday, continue to hone budget, lower RX costs,
• Recreation: keep a list of monthly FREE events to attend, set a bit of funds aside each month to do a little something (even if it just a little), list plan and budget for something, think of a trip for end of summer look into low cost options, plan a party for turning 50 (?),Blog hop and post/comments

Well this is what is before me so far. 

It is nice to get it out of mind into print.

These are some of the goals set. They are the desires of my spirit, soul and body. These are the things that appear needful to have a well balanced life and a prosperous one. This will get printed out and placed on my clipboard. As the year progresses the list will ebb and flow. Many things at year end will of been accomplished. This is a wonderful reward of efforts. If I were to simply RESOLVE to do these things...well they would overwhelm me and I would get all kinds of stressed out. As goals they motivate me, they become a mission. Thus into accomplishments I become accomplished.

safety

sense of self

affiliation

mission

accomplishment

These are building blocks of Self Esteem.

Now many a folk understand little of this. Self Esteem has become a bad word. God wants for us all to Esteem our self as He does. Safe, knowing who we are in Him. Having a sense of belonging to Him and the greater whole. He has set before us a life and in that according to Ecclesiastes one that we find pleasure in the works of our hands. That is all that is left for everything is a vanity empty and void if we do not FIND pleasure in the accomplishments there of.