Rocking and Waiting

 I have been accepted and the DBS referral has been sent on to a doctor at the Metropolitan Neurological Clinic (MNC).  I have already received an appointment with a surgeon for February 13th.  Now we wait.  Waiting seems to be part of any medical issue.

  Here we are continuing so busy it is hard for me to stop and heal.  Tuesday is babies, as cute as they come, but not getting any lighter.  Isaac is around 17 1/2# and Sammy is 16#.  At 6 months old they are still stationery, for which I can be thankful.  Both of them are very vocal and want to move, but backwards and pivoting is about it for now.  Tim (7) and Hilde (5) come around 2:30.  So from 7:30 until 5:00 we are on the move.  I surely do understand why babies come to young people.  Whew!

  Lifting babies is a no-no for me, and Jim is good to hand them to me.  I can sit and hold, rock, play, cuddle and feed as the needs arise.  They don't seem to mind at all.  I just can't pick them up.  I found out from painful experience that sitting at the computer is just as big a no-no, as is any prolonged standing.

  I am pausing oftener to slow down and try to help my body heal.  In my back room, that catch-all room I use to read, write, rest, sew, iron, and store things, I have a verse on the wall that I see every day.  It is one I am learning to live by, slowly but steadily.  I think you will quickly recognize it.


Isaiah 40:31 "But those who wait on the Lord,
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings as eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint."

Teach me Lord,
Thank you Lord,
For this wait.

Next Up Brain Surgery

  This year, after careful consideration, we decided to go ahead and explore the option of Deep Brain Surgery (DBS), to relieve me of essential tremor and the consequent medications I have to take for it. The tremor is hereditary and increases with age.  Mine is making many things I like to do more and more difficult.  There is good and permanent benefit with DBS.  I could get off much of the meds I'm currently dependent on just to be able to get food to my mouth.  Man, I could even, potentially, write legibly again.

  These past weeks, as I have seen doctors regarding the tremor, I've come to realize that some of my falls are due to the drugs I take for it.  It is time for intervention.  It is getting clearer all the time.  I have fallen twice this year already and the sudden staggering is unpredictable.  

  This winter I will take you on the journey with me as I go through the DBS process.  Brain surgery doesn't get done without its headaches; the process is part of the first headache.  I have already seen two doctors in the Twin Cities area, first a Neurologist, then a Neuropsych evaluation. And now I will be "presented to the panel" to determine eligibility.  That comes first.  If I am a good candidate there will be more appointments following.

     I will keep you posted.

Casting all your cares on Him

For He cares for you.

A Little Insight to the Bachelor Uncles

  This past week has been an interesting one.  Things new that we can no longer do on automatic pilot.  Charlie has the opportunity to look for a new job with the help of Independent Lifestyles (IL).
We have to think outside of our normal box to set this up.  The goal is to be independently employed for real.  Until now we have always had him on a supervised team.  It is like learning a new language again, only maybe not so intense.

  We also realized that we may be pushing Dom too hard.  This gentle soul needs time and more restful spaces than we have been giving him.  Not allowing it is disaster.  We'd rather not have that.
More rethinking of our present routine.  Keeps us on our toes.

  It is a wonder to me that God gave us these two amazing guys.  My, how we've been puzzled at times, and so slow on the uptake.  But He knows what He is doing and I certainly have grown to trust all He sends our way.  Can't imagine what life without these two guys would be like.

 Prov. 3:5  Trust in the Lord
With all your heart
Do not lean on
Your own understanding.

Rocks and Salt

  This fall Jim and I had a wonderful opportunity to travel up the North Shore of Lake Superior.  It was a nice getaway for us after a hectic summer.  There are a lot of things about the trip that I really liked.  A small thing, which turned out to be even better than expected, were the smooth rocks I gathered on the shore of the big lake.

  The rocks and the way they fit so perfectly in my hand, reminded me of my childhood
 pocket salt.  My dad had salt licks for the cattle.  We chidden would take a rock and knock a piece on the salt off of the block.  This we would carry around and lick when we wished.  After a time it would become so smooth and just right in the hand.  We could easily identify our own "licks".

  So that was a fun little memory.  But also, I had in mind to let the children paint them for a fill in pastime project, when all were here over the Holidays.  It worked out beautifully.  The rocks were easy to put away, and come back to when time permitted.  Some of them were done expertly and will make beautiful gifts.  Others were just fun.

  Jesus is a most beautiful Rock; one to stand on most securely when things seem to be falling apart.
Not only that, but He provides little rocks of salt, to come alone side us when we need bolstering.
We are called to be the salt of the earth.  Be salty for someone.


Matt 5:13a  You are the salt of the earth....

The Word

  It is a season of rest for me, sitting before the Lord and watching the lamp at my feet, to know when to go and what to do next.  The Lord tells us to come to Him.  The coming brings refreshing in so many ways.  He Himself is vast beyond knowing completely.  Every coming is an experience in getting to know Him just a little better and it is wonderful beyond belief.
  For all of us there is the going also.  That is why He has given us a light to our paths.  We cannot go effectively until we have first come.  He, Jesus. is the One who will give us our next step.
  He. The Word, is a lamp to our feet,  and a light to our path.



John 1:14a  And the Word
Became flesh.....

Psalm 119:105 Your word
Is a lamp
To my feet
And a light
To my path