It's cold here & ice is falling from the sky.
Well, the last couple weeks have been interesting. Here is a short list of what's been going on since Feb. 2.
I went to the funeral I mentioned in my last post...work has been busier...deadly tornadoes hit our state, but left our house alone this time...Randy had some surprises for me...the kids went to Warmth in Winter, the annual youth meeting for the Tennessee Conference of the United Methodist Church...I sang & taught Sunday School...my granddaddy turned 80...we went to his birthday party...we had the annual Valentine's Dinner at church...went back to work yesterday...now the weather's crazy again (as it seems to be every Tuesday).
First, the funeral. I was sitting next to my aunt, who was sitting next to my mother, who has been sick over the last few months. First they played that Vince Gill song. Now, I love Vince Gill, I do. He is truly one of my favorites. But that song...I have listened to it in full one time since July 11, 2004 (the date of Randy's dad's funeral), & that was Saturday, Feb. 2 at my great-aunt's funeral. I got through that by counting the 484 holes in the ceiling tile above my head. When "How Can I Help You Say Goodbye" started playing, I couldn't take that. I got up & walked out.
I do not do sad songs much.
You see, Mom is battling cancer. She is doing a pretty good job, too! I believe in God's healing power & she does too. I think He has already done a great work in her. She is improving slowly. Though it is a very, very serious disease & the "odds" are not really in her favor, we have not given up! She does not dwell on the bad but focuses on the good. I do this too. I mean, if one has a 12 percent chance of surviving a disease for five years, this means that if 10,000 people get that disease, 1200 will still be here five years from now. (I do not know if those are the exact numbers. I did see percentages when she first got the diagnosis, but I really can't remember. This shows you how much the numbers have meant to me personally.) Death is a fact of life. I know that, as does she, but she is a long way from dead, I tell you! She is very much alive! And as long as she is alive & fighting, I just cannot do sad songs about dying Mamas & Grandmas. In my car, I just flip the dial. Can't do that at the funeral home. I have to save my emotional energy. I do cry, when the time is right, & I shed tears later in the service, but I just cannot let my mind go some places.
Work has been busy. I can't say busier than usual, for this IS the new "usual." We have increased our numbers in the last week or so. It's not always easy, but I am not complaining. One thing has changed lately & that is that we've come up with a better system for lunch. I am feeling a lot better about this. It is working. Let's hope it keeps working.
A week ago tonight tornadoes killed 27 people within 150 miles of us. There have been some sad stories there & some stories of hope as well.
While you're at it, read about this little girl. I work at Vanderbilt & saw this today in my email. I had to wipe away a tear.
Last week Randy surprised me by telling me he wants to get some of his friends to work on some accompaniments for me. I think he felt bad about me going to the karaoke night a few weeks ago. Many musicians have a thing against karaoke, claiming it puts musicians out of work. But, he & his buddies joke that playing instruments gives them a license to sing.
He also surprised me with a Saturday night date. Oh, by Saturday I'd figured out what he wanted to do...we went to the Station Inn to see Junior Brown. That was great! We also ate at Chappy's. That was great too...but a little more expensive ;)
Well, I've written a novel, so I'm going to go to bed now. Looks like I'll be here at the house tomorrow, instead of my trip I had planned, but that's OK. I've got plenty to do here too.
Well, the last couple weeks have been interesting. Here is a short list of what's been going on since Feb. 2.
I went to the funeral I mentioned in my last post...work has been busier...deadly tornadoes hit our state, but left our house alone this time...Randy had some surprises for me...the kids went to Warmth in Winter, the annual youth meeting for the Tennessee Conference of the United Methodist Church...I sang & taught Sunday School...my granddaddy turned 80...we went to his birthday party...we had the annual Valentine's Dinner at church...went back to work yesterday...now the weather's crazy again (as it seems to be every Tuesday).
First, the funeral. I was sitting next to my aunt, who was sitting next to my mother, who has been sick over the last few months. First they played that Vince Gill song. Now, I love Vince Gill, I do. He is truly one of my favorites. But that song...I have listened to it in full one time since July 11, 2004 (the date of Randy's dad's funeral), & that was Saturday, Feb. 2 at my great-aunt's funeral. I got through that by counting the 484 holes in the ceiling tile above my head. When "How Can I Help You Say Goodbye" started playing, I couldn't take that. I got up & walked out.
I do not do sad songs much.
You see, Mom is battling cancer. She is doing a pretty good job, too! I believe in God's healing power & she does too. I think He has already done a great work in her. She is improving slowly. Though it is a very, very serious disease & the "odds" are not really in her favor, we have not given up! She does not dwell on the bad but focuses on the good. I do this too. I mean, if one has a 12 percent chance of surviving a disease for five years, this means that if 10,000 people get that disease, 1200 will still be here five years from now. (I do not know if those are the exact numbers. I did see percentages when she first got the diagnosis, but I really can't remember. This shows you how much the numbers have meant to me personally.) Death is a fact of life. I know that, as does she, but she is a long way from dead, I tell you! She is very much alive! And as long as she is alive & fighting, I just cannot do sad songs about dying Mamas & Grandmas. In my car, I just flip the dial. Can't do that at the funeral home. I have to save my emotional energy. I do cry, when the time is right, & I shed tears later in the service, but I just cannot let my mind go some places.
Work has been busy. I can't say busier than usual, for this IS the new "usual." We have increased our numbers in the last week or so. It's not always easy, but I am not complaining. One thing has changed lately & that is that we've come up with a better system for lunch. I am feeling a lot better about this. It is working. Let's hope it keeps working.
A week ago tonight tornadoes killed 27 people within 150 miles of us. There have been some sad stories there & some stories of hope as well.
While you're at it, read about this little girl. I work at Vanderbilt & saw this today in my email. I had to wipe away a tear.
Last week Randy surprised me by telling me he wants to get some of his friends to work on some accompaniments for me. I think he felt bad about me going to the karaoke night a few weeks ago. Many musicians have a thing against karaoke, claiming it puts musicians out of work. But, he & his buddies joke that playing instruments gives them a license to sing.
He also surprised me with a Saturday night date. Oh, by Saturday I'd figured out what he wanted to do...we went to the Station Inn to see Junior Brown. That was great! We also ate at Chappy's. That was great too...but a little more expensive ;)
Well, I've written a novel, so I'm going to go to bed now. Looks like I'll be here at the house tomorrow, instead of my trip I had planned, but that's OK. I've got plenty to do here too.
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