The Boys, Winter and their tired Nana!

Our weekend entertainment was a visit from the boys!  Tim and Cooper came from Columbus to sled and baby Bryden came after nap time to join the fun!

 Our Country Club has marvelous hills that are great for just this.  We weren't sure how Coop would like it, but he is very adventurous so guessed he would.

 I used to take the kids when they were little...so was really more worried about ME climbing back UP the hills again!  (Hey, and we did it about 20 times...OK...19!!!)!

 Cooper got tired and Tim carried him too...ohhh to be young again!! I knew that if I carried him, that would be THE END.

 Now we are putting Cooper on with me...

 I scream and yell the whole way down and ...had so much fun!!!!

 yes...he walked by himself, -no one to give CPR.

 Daddy/son time...

 Bryden joined us after church and his nap...

 outside??? OK!

"Ewww.... What did I get myself into"!!!!

 Small hills at our house..."I can do it myself!!"

 Chelsea giving Bryden a ride...

 ~ It was great way to spend a Sunday, hot chocolate all around...Nana needs a nap!!!!

The Ring...part 2

I have been wearing the ring (see last post) this week to try to get over the sad feelings that I have had whenever I see it.  I'm doing well with that and just had to "do it", thank you for all who noticed at work and out and about...and also for all the comments of encouragement on the last post. 
Two things came in the mail today...Kathy, alias "Ya-Ya" over at Whispering Pines has a blog book printed each year and it is a way of keeping what she has done in journal form.  I thought it was wonderful and Larry thought I should do it too.  Finally, I finished it and one volume came today...I was so excited to go back and look at our lives just as the grandchildren started arriving!  Fun!

The second thing that arrived in the mail, I was touched and amazed to get!  It was a wonderful letter from a friend/relative (son-in-law Brant's aunt) who said that she occasionally sees my blog and read this post.  She has a mother in a nursing home that she loves so much and it is hard to see her slowly slipping away.  After watching a recent Nate Berkus show in which they made a shadow box for treasured items, she decided to write with that suggestion for the ring, which would still allow access for removing to wear from time to time. She also included a poem that her mother had written years ago, I guess she has written many, and this was just the time to share....so I am also sharing it with you.

          Mother's hands

Loving hands that cared for you
Since the day that you were born
Held you close to my own heart
Some nights until the morn~

Loving hands caressed you
Soothed your fevered brow
Praying to God to heal you
As only he knows how~

Loving hands helped you to stand
Till you had learned to walk
Clapped with joy, a Mother's joy!
When you learned to talk~

Taught you love and how to pray
And wiped away your tears
Sometimes spanked your fannys
And washed behind your ears~

Watched your each activity
You took part while in school
Applauded each accomplishment
Taught you the golden rule~

These hands took you to Sunday School
And confirmed your infant vow
Graduations came and went
The world was yours, and how!

You chose your own vocation
And then you picked "the best"
The "one" whose hands would take my place
My hands had earned a rest~

Your  hands and lives are busy now
With children of your own
I pray for you the blessing
Of seeing them all grown~

I wouldn't trade the life I've had
Or one of you for any other
I hope you think my hands did well
And you're proud I'm your mother~   by Martha Bolen

Well,  that gave me goosebumps, Becky, and maybe a tear!!  It's a wonderful poem by your mother and her words are true of most good mothers!  Thank you for your thoughtfulness and thank you for sharing!

the Ring & the Wrong

Yesterday, I was looking through my jewelry and again came upon the ring.  My mother left me a few pieces of jewelry, one of which was her wedding ring.  I always loved that ring...seeing it on her hand...watching all she lovingly did for her family and friends throughout the years with it on are etched memories for me.  I have tried to wear the ring a few times since she died, but I keep it on for less than a day and then  it just makes me too sad to see it.
I got it out again, put it on and every time I see it unexpectedly on my hand gasp a little as it is also my mother's hand that I see...I'm getting arthritis in my joints and my right hand especially, looks like hers.

So my dilemma is...wear it till I get used to it, or put it away and preserve it as it appears in my mind...a sacred memento of her....what to do?

Humorously...the wrong.  Today in church, we sat next to Chelsea, Brant and baby Bryden, when suddenly during a sacred moment at the beginning of service the fire alarm went off!  Now I have never heard the fire alarm in church...didn't really know we had one. The minister, cool and calm decided to wait because to overcome that racket was too competitive.  Baby Bryden looked startled but unfazed as he really just wanted to be allowed to wander under the seats. (digressing....my mother told me that as a toddler in church one Sunday that I crawled under the pews...she had my sister as an infant in arms...and switched every one's boots around to the shock of all following service). In the end...it was a youngster that had pulled a fire alarm and had the fire department and fire marshall coming to Sunday morning church! 
Hmmmm.....The beginning to an interesting week.

Little Ones...

Grandson Bryden was at our house today...he goes a mile a minute!  Things that he thinks are toys are not always.  He loves the phone and remote control...when he leaves, we have to relocate everything!

Here the fav toy  of the moment is ...my shoe!  

 and minutes later...it's his thumb...sweet child!

 My father-in-law was in dire need of hearing aids.  Our son Mike is a doctor of audiology and located about 1 1/2 hours from Grandpa.  He knew of his problem though and took time to make trips to test and examine him, fit him with temporary aids and then his own.  Yesterday was the culmination of all that when he took a half day off to come and finish the project.  Grandpa was thrilled with them...so while he and Larry went to do that, Lori and the girls came to visit me!

 Lori with Emma learning to "hold on"...

 Pretty good for 11 months!

 Bailey "talking" on the phone...she was hoping Cooper was on the other end!  Actually I think, she thinks our house is a little boring without him.  She kept asking when he was coming...ha!

 Emma getting ready to nod off....

 but we made her smile...see all her new teeth???

 Then we taught Bailey "hide n' seek"....she caught on quickly and it was fun to observe!!! 

Count to ten and hide your eyes...see Emma is already learning!

When the guys came back, we went out to eat.  (These are B/W because my flash quit working on my little camera...:-(  )  I had also taught Bailey a memory card game so we took it along for amusement while dinner was coming.  Paw-Paw played while we waited and showed her his "magic" games too...hysterical!  These were all good things for a cold, snowy January weekend!!  

the Girls...

 

The mailman is my friend when he brings photos in the mail!!  These, that Lori took arrived today.  I think she does a fabulous job of photography so they are really fun for me!    

Bailey seems to be growing so fast and is no longer a toddler...

 She's a little girl...wow...how does that sneak in and happen?

 Lori takes great shots of son Mike with the girls too, which is dear to my heart.  Here are a couple that she took at Thanksgiving but hers are sooo much better than mine that I had to include them.  Funny how a different angle, camera and photographer make such a difference!!

 With Cooper and Emma....

- and I could just sit here and giggle with them!!

 Then there's sweet, smiley Miss Emma...

 last but not least...this leaves me smiling too!! 

New Rooms in the New Year...

For the last 39 years, I've worked in the operating room of our home town.   It has grown from a small unit where we did 3-6 cases a day to many days more than 30.  When I started, we had physicians who did general practice in the afternoons so we did surgeries mainly in the mornings. Now we have many excellent surgeons who are desired by large cities but choose to live and raise their families in a small town.  They are very progressive and do wonderful work.  I feel privileged to be a part of it all. 

 Soon we are opening 2 new operating rooms that are state of the art. This morning it felt like Christmas as during our staff meeting we got a preview! 

 Kathy, alias Yaya over at Whispering Pines is here with me below.  We decided yesterday that this would make a good post because it is an exciting event in our lives....so here she is with her camera! (And I will be in her post with mine quite soon, I'm sure lol!)

 We all gathered while 2 sales reps showed us the many amazing features of these rooms.  Most OR's have lots of electrical equipment that have cords running everywhere.  They are a constant tripping hazard,especially when we do laparoscopic cases in the dark. These rooms are all ceiling mounted so that no cords will be running on the floors.

 Here is our desk area with storage...old rooms have none.

 Our present operating room lights have about 9 bulbs in them.  These have 90 with a remote sensor to the parent company that "talks" to them to relay when bulbs need to be serviced for replacement.  (They are supposed to last about 20 years!) All the monitors and computers are on the same relay system.

 The big screen on the far wall can be used during laparoscopy cases just like the small monitors. They can also be programed to show x-rays as they are developed in radiology during a case!!  They can do conferencing calls to example: pathology during a case for frozen section specimens where we are waiting results before proceeding. (Now done by phone)

 These parts can float all around the room and are on booms that release a hissing sound when moved.

 I am amazed by it all as the sales rep talks...but then I have felt that way many times as modernization has happened over the years.  During my career I have seen much progress in hospitals that is amazing....sometimes when I compare surgeries now to 40 years ago...it's like watching the wagon train go west!!!  Cataract surgery for instance was performed with a large incision surgery followed by 10 days of hospital bed rest with large sandbags on either side of the head.  Patients had thick coke bottle glasses following. Now they are in the hospital for a 22 minute case, in and out of the hospital in about 1-1/2 hours total.  They have a micro incision and lens insertion that allows instant sight and no movement restrictions.  Many types of cases that are done now have that kind of dramatic change.

 This is Dr. M talking to nurse manager M (with hand over face) and K our workroom tech. Just makes you want to say "Parascope UP!!"

This is the nursing control panel for everything in the room, turns multiple things on and off...again...amazing!! 

And last but not least...the people behind it all are simply great to work with!  It's a pleasure to go to work in a place where people smile and help each other.  Here are three of my colleagues but I could put any three co-workers faces in here and feel the same way!! Happy New Year!!!

Hmmm...Resolutions???

The weather was in the high 50's yesterday and today... It was so pretty out that I took down the outside Christmas decorations before it gets cold again, cleaned out the garage and then took a walk in the yard. And as I walked I resolved to appreciate my surroundings more, and appreciate all that is good in my life.

 I also resolved to reflect more on thoughtfulness to family and friends.

 Then there is diet, exercise and good old fitness...that's where the ~hmmm.... comes in.  I just need to be resolved.

 Then there is spiritual commitment on all levels which should have been written first as it is the most important thing I can do. I need to pray more and make dedicated time to do that...I tend to just have little conversations with God.

 There are other defining lights in my life that I hope to do better in each year too, and while I am not always good, hopefully I am better.....~so that counts!!