Father's Day 2009

I had a great Father's Day with my Dad (step dad Ed) and my former father-in-law, Hollis. B2 and his girlfriend provided lunch (Zaxby's) and I brought the dessert (Strawberry Pretzel Salad) and me, my Mom, B2 and his Girlfriend had a good time just sitting around and talking and laughing. B1 and his family didn't make it over...B1 was in Jasper, Georgia with our cousin (camping on the mountain) and my sister-in-law was probably getting caught up on some much needed sleep.

Ed is doing quite well after his second treatment of Avastin and other chemo drugs. So far he has had no bad side effects. I cannot help but wonder if those side effects are coming some time down the road. He goes for treatment 3 on July 1st and I will be going with him for that treatment. Ed said the Baby Bro did much better getting along with the Cancer Center staff this go-round (giggle). B2 also packed a lunch for them and they 'picnicked' in their private IV-drip room. Ed and I have already discussed it and when we go on July 1st I am going to make a 'food run' near lunch time...maybe to Checkers, maybe Mickey D's, maybe Arby's. We haven't decided yet. It is a day long affair, so I will be taking snacks, drinks, and reading material.

I also got to see Hollis (aka Papa) and Mary Kate (aka Nanny) today...my former in-laws who I still love dearly and am still friends with...or I would rather say, still family with. Nanny treated Papa and I with BBQ chicken strips, stewed squash, real mash potatoes, pinto beans, stewed cabbage and cornbread. There was also some cucumber/onion salad and fruit salad complements of her friend Hokey. (sp?) It was a delicious meal and a wonderful time of visiting. I don't get to see them enough and I really enjoyed just laughing, (crying) and cutting up with them.

The Hubster spent the afternoon at his Dad's also. His dad does not feel up to visitor's as of late, so just Hubster and his sister spent time with him. Hubster got a treat bag with articles of clothing he needed for Father's Day...because he is so hard to buy for!

Thanks to all the Dads out there for just being Good Dads. And to all the Dads who aren't good dads, I pray for you, because you don't know what you are missing. And to all you future Dads, just take notes from the Good Dads. I thank God for all my Dads...Ed (step dad) who has been my dad since I was seven, My Dad, (biological), who was a Good Dad until he married my 2nd stepmother and then he got sidetracked, but I love him anyways, God rest his Soul, Thanks to Poppa (former-father-in-law) for being there when I needed him during my marriage and divorced years from his son, and to my current father-in-law who has loved us in his silent but generous way.

If God Texted the 10 Commandments

Got a cool email I just had to share...




IF GOD TEXTED THE 10 COMMANDMENTS

1. no1 b4 me. srsly.

2. dnt wrshp pix/idols

3. no omg's

4. no wrk on w/end (sat 4 now; sun l8r)

5. pos ok - ur m&d r cool

6. dnt kill ppl

7. :-X only w/ m8

8. dnt steal

9. dnt lie re: bf

10. dnt ogle ur bf's m8. or ox. or dnkey. myob.

M, pls rite on tabs & giv 2 ppl.

ps. wwjd?

If you have no idea what this says, look up the "words" on Netlingo:
http://www.netlingo.com/

Blast from the Past: 1984 (and making ammends)

Christmas 1984. I was 23, Arthur was 3, and my dad was a Keystone Cop - ha! ha! I have long hair for another two years after this picture and after that it's rarely got past my shoulders. It did actually get down to my waist before I cut it. Notice the 'wings'...a continuation of the style made popular by Farrah Fawcett during my high school years. At that time, I had real eyebrows too. Now, after 25 years of plucking, they barely grow, except in places I don't want them to grow.

In the year following the time this photo was taken, me and my dad had a 'falling-out'. I am pretty certain that this occasion is the last time we were photographed together and the last time we were comfortable with each other. We had a disagreement over his wife's language in front of Arthur, and he refused to speak to her about it, so we stopped speaking and seeing each other.

Over the next twenty years we barely had any communication and only saw each other a couple of times. I had finally decided to try and make amends with my dad and was trying to muster my courage and decide how to go about doing so, but before I got around to actually taking action, I got the call that my dad had died from a heart attack. I never got to tell him that I still loved him despite all the years of silence and despite all the hurtful things that transpired between us. As a little girl, Daddy was the one who took care of me when I was sick and comforted me, and encouraged me to be more. I don't know what happened to us, except stubbornness and meanness on the part of other persons.

If you have someone in your life with whom you need to make amends, I urge you, do it before it is too late.

Hump Day

I made it through another hump-day. Yesterday, attended the funeral of my friend's brother. Thanking God that she has a big family to help her through this sad time. Thanking God I still have both my brothers. Looking forward to a fun weekend with my kids!

Family Visit

Here are pics from my visit last weekend with my parents.

Pic #1) Ed and Hubster
Pic #2) Me and B2 (my youngest brother)
Pic #3) Courage with Mama

Ed was having a good day that day. Hubster visited even though he was afraid he would cry when he saw my dad. But Ed looked so good, Hubster was actually bolstered by his good mood and good appearance!

Today, my dad got good news from the oncologist...he is starting a new treatment for his brain cancer tomorrow and we are hoping and praying this goes well. (For more details see Ed's Journey in the list of blogs on this page.) Unfortunately, Ed did suffer two seizures today, but thankfully, they were relatively mild. Of course, no matter how mild they are, seizures are scary and not fun what so ever. They always leave him tired and a little 'out of whack'. But some good friends were coming over to visit tonight and my brother is taking him for his first Avastin treatment tomorrow and this brings him hope for more time and better quality of life.

Work is still plugging along...I am still temping at Gwinnett County and still holding out for a permanent position there. Summer is in full swing with lots of my office mates taking vacation so my days at work are busier than ever filling in here and there while the office is short staffed. I actually like it like that; busy and crazy and no time to breath. I have no time to think of personal problems while at work. No time for anything personal actually. I do take my two breaks with my friends and we walk two miles each break even though it is beginning to be almost too hot outside to do that comfortably. Some days I take a 30 minute break (in order to bank comp time for doctor visits for myself and my dad) but most days take an hour and either spent it with daughter Arthur in her office (she has a real office with a door, not a cubicle like moi) or go out with my girlfriends to wonderful places like McCray's on the square. I even sometimes manage to get some thrift store shopping in. Yes, I love thrift store shopping!