Category Archives: Love

December 2011

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Today, this second Sunday in December, was difficult to get through. At the same time, it has been a joyous day! The love of my life suffered a stroke that should have taken his life, but through the grace of God and the miracles of modern medicine he is still by my side and we are closer now than ever before. Enjoy and make the most out of life because you NEVER know when you will be called to glory. Time is truly a precious gift from God. Barry and I have both been through a lot since 2009, but we are still here and still going strong.

Last year, at around 8:30am, Barry was assisting one of our residents with his morning care. The resident called for me to come quick. I got in the room and Barry said in a funny voice, “Honey, I can’t get up, help.” I leaned over to grab his arm, when I realized he couldn’t grasp my arm, I quickly told him to stay put and not to move. The thought running through my head, was “‘you’re the  strong one, Barry….You cannot be having a stroke!” I knew he was, but that thought would not leave my head. I called 911, checked on him again and went to get his medicines.

Gwinnett County EMS was on top of it that day, they were there in a flash and my heart sank as I watched them drive off with my sweety. I knew I’d never be able to drive, so I had called my sister to give me a ride. She was 20 minutes away. She made it in record time. My head was racing with all sorts of things that I could not shake. I was crying then as I am crying now telling this story. The local ER was on the ball and had Barry ready for transfer when we arrived, Kris and I attempted to keep up with the ambulance, which was impossible, so we decided to be safe. At the next hospital, Barry was already on the table having the “Mercy” procedure performed. True to the doctors words, Barry was regaining use of his left side within 12 hours.  

One year ago, I got the opportunity to fall in love with my soul mate all over again. The stroke took Barry’s filter away. He’s adorable and we are enjoying rediscovering each other all over again. I love him dearly and do not know what I’d do without him.

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We found time for ourselves….

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Last night Barry and I were scheduled to help setup for the Christmas Program. To our bewilderment we found ourselves with an evening of free time. We were both exhausted and actually a little thrilled to have “us”  time. We rode around for a bit looking at all the beautiful Christmas decor (there are some incredible imaginations out there) and headed home. We did a little housework, said goodnight to mom and got in our favorite chairs in the living room.

Once vegging-out in our chairs, checking a little email, I was sound asleep with my tablet in my lap. Sometimes “taking time for you” means listening to what the body is telling you. In our case it was Sleep, glorious Sleep. We both needed it, we have a long weekend scheduled.

Christmas Programs everywhere……

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The holidays are here and they are hitting like a runaway locomotive. Barry and I missed everything last year, he was in rehab after his stroke. We wanted to get in on as many programs as we could this year.

December 1, will strolled through Loganville Baptist Church’s version of “Journey to Bethlehem”. They did a wonderful job.

December 2, we got to see our great niece, in her churches kid’s Christmas program. We learned she is quite a little entertainer and loves a microphone. Absolutely adorable 3 year old.

December 6, we went to another nephew’s band concert. I was amazed by the change in music or a better way to put it is, the way the band put together their performance. Absolutely amazing.

December 7, we will helping set up for our church’s Christmas program. Barry and I have been on a treasure hunt the last few weeks for this program. It is exciting watching it come together.

December 8, we will be attending a Christmas Play with my oldest sister’s church and some of our family.

December 9, will be the program at our church, with a possible encore the following Sunday morning.

December 15 is the Christmas Party for the ladies group at our church. Mom and I are responsible for decorating a table. Busy making plans for that.

On a yet to be determined date and time, our family will be celebrating the holiday! Along with a few more stops on the Christmas Express, but Barry and I will survive…….God will get us through it all, after all…it is His season!Snowman

What next, part 2……..

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Well, echo scheduled for next week. Had blood work drawn at office. Hopefully, all is well, my heart just doesn’t like what my neurologist is doing to my body. My body doesn’t like taking a bunch of pills, I always manage some form of adverse reaction to medication changes. Life goes on, time will tell (and the tests too, of course). One day at a time, the only way to go….It’s in God’s hands

What next….

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Life gets calm, but busy……then my heart heads into the haywire department again. I have too much going on for this to start happening now. It’s Christmastime, I wanna enjoy it, but we are getting ready to head to the cardiologist. My life is a never ending roller coaster that doesn’t want to let me off………

Things not to discuss in the car………

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There are certain things you do not need to talk about in front of your son-in-law, especially on a car ride. You know, when he can’t get out and run far far away…..

  • What you remove with a pumice stone.
  • The fact that you couldn’t find matching hose for church
  • What your supper did to your stomach
  • Discuss the type of underclothes you wear
  • Have a list of what is wrong with the house that needs to be repaired immediately
  • What you wish we had done differently to the house when it was built
  • What type bra you would like Santa Claus to bring

My Christmas List

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Last night, my great niece asked what Santa Claus was bringing me and what did I have on my Christmas List. Being close to 50, this is a question I have not heard or thought about in years. Would I be on the Naughty or Nice List? So many questions popped into my head. Since the brain surgery, my childhood memories are not what they used to be. I had my mother confirm that I had written Santa a letter or two. It’s been a long time, but I think I’ll give it a shot.

Dear Santa,

How are you? I hope this letter finds everyone at the northpole feeling good! I’m having a good day, so far. Feeling a little tired after last night. There is nothing sweeter than watching children sing and performing the Christmas Story. They did such a good job! My great niece was in the children’s choir. She was adorable. There was a mirophone in front of her. she kept stepping out from her spot in line uo to the microphone and singing  her little heart out. Just precious. So Santa, I think my first wish has been granted. I got to see that little girl sing and spend time with family. Nothing sweeter than my our nieces and nephews. Of course Barry, mom, my sister and hubby are always entertaining.

My next wish was granted when Barry and I found our church home this year. Victory Baptist Church welcomed us with open arms and has never made us feel uncomfortable or unwelcome. I have learned more about the bible, in our time at Victory,  than in all the years growing up in church. The pastor is incredible and the church family is gracious and loving. I thank the Lord everyday for leading us to Victory.

My next Chritmas wish would have to be to continue increasing faith in Christ. I cherish each ounce of knowledge I gain through study and attending classes at church. I enjoy the time Barry and I spend together studying. We have really enjoyed working with the choir director on the music program. Looking for Civil War items to use as props has been like a giant treasure hunt. So much fun! 

I thank the Lord everyday for bringing Barry into my life. I do not know what I did to deserve him, but I’m glad I did it. Barry is the love of my life, my best friend, my soulmate. With the health issues I’ve gone through since 2009, he hassn’t batted an eye. He has been there every second I’ve needed him, just as I will be for him.

My next and final wish is for the coming year and for my sisters. Sandy, the oldest, is absolutely stretched to her limits. She is dealing with a lot of stress, as well as being a new grandmother. She tries to do everything for everyone and I do not believe she knows how to say no. Along with everything else in her life, she worries herself silly about her disabled, highly independent husband being home alone. Dennis is the type of person that if you tell him he can’t do something, he will find a way to do it.

My wish for Sandy, is to find time for herself and a job that fits her situation better than the one she has. I know she enjoys her work, but something closer to home would give her more time to enjoy life and her family. I’d like to see her smiling again.

Now to my sweet, baby sister Kris! Sandy, of course, is sweet too! Kris worked her tail off and finished her college degree in less time than it should have taken. Now, for over a year, she has been searching for a teaching position without success. She is an incredible Math teacher and some school system would be lucky to get her. She is taking care a husband, raising 2 boys, 14 and 6 and attemping a job hunt. She also takes care of our father as much as he will let her and her home.

My wish for Mrs. Kris is to find that job she is looking for or something compariable. I’d like to see a smile on her face too! But I’d also like her to find a little peace in her life and time for herself. I have 2 sisters that I love dearly and will do anything in the world for either of them, they just have to let me. I’d also love to see the three of us spending a little time together. We might even take mom with us!

Thanks for your time! What kind of cookies would you like this year?

Love,

Jill

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Secret Agent Man

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Snowman2rudolph-th-1Parts of this story and others are totally fiction.

Recently, our nephew was asking about the blog and we attempted to explain the reason we write. We also said we haven’t written about him yet and asked what he’d like for us to say.

He wants us to tell you all he is CIA Agent and lives in secret life in Winder. Well truth be told, he’d fit in better as an MIB agent on the movie screen. He’s good with gadgets and fixing things, he’d love to get his hands on a reverberating carbonizer. Not sure what he’d do with it, but we are sure he’d love it.

He’d have to be Agent Jay Two. Of course, with his little brother, he’d always have a partner/sidekick….Agent M and 1/2. That would be quite a movie remake. There would have to be a Ninetendo Wii or some other form of gaming system. The truth is that both of my baby sister’s boys are tech gurus. They love anything like that.

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I accidently deleted half of this post somehow when I hit publish, so please forgive me and I’ll finish quickly.

Both of my sisters did an incredible job in the kid department. Barry and I have an amazing group of niece and nephews ranging in age from 30 to 6. We also have a great niece and nephew. My entire family has accepted Barry as Uncle Barry without question. I have enjoyed watching Barry get excited as his relationship grows with each of them.

 My older sisters kids are successful adults and starting their own lives. We even have a professional dancer, a pastor (and husband) and an incredible, super mom in the family. Barry and  I are proud of each and every one of them.

Agent Jay 2  is an amazing kid that hasn’t realized to full potential yet. He’ll get there, I have no doubt. He is incredibly intelligent. At 14 he towers over me and Barry. I believe his feet get bigger weekly. I have had the pleasure of watching him grow into a handsome young man. Look out girl, heartbreaker in town!

I remember him as a child, locking himself in my car and giggling at me as I go window to window attempting to get the little rascal to unlock the door. I didn’t need an alarm clock when he was younger. He’d beat me in the head with his bottle when he thought I needed to get up. He was such a good baby and a challenge at the same time!

I wrote a previous post about Agent M and 1/2. He remains amazing and we love each of them dearly. We’d like to thank each of them for letting us be part of their lives. It has been a pleasure!

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“New” Barry Moments

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1. While at a training session, the discussion was how to get a blog to send out an email to a smart phone when new topic has been posted, Barry commented to a colleague “I guess he needs to get a smarter phone.”

2. On the ride home from this session, he saw a semi- truck with “air-equipped ride” on the side, he said the more he looked around, he realized that all cars are “air-equipped”. The tires are full of air, technically making all rides “air-equipped”.

The brain is a strange and mysterious organ………….

Mom and the Matchmaker……

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?How do we make this long story short? I’m afraid it will still be a mini-novel. We’ll do our best to keep it interesting. Here goes:

First of all, my mom and dad are divorced and have been for a very long time. They managed to live in the same town and be civil to each other in public for years. Together, they just did not work. Trust me!

Six-years ago, mom’s health was making it hard for her to take care of her home alone. My sister, that lived close-by, was doing double shifts between mom and dad. She and her husband were wearing out quick. Dad purchased the house next to my baby sister, which made life a little easier.

My other sister and I did what we could, but most everything fell on our baby sister. She decided not to run away from Winder, when she was old enough. I, for one, was glad she was close by. But it wasn’t fair, they needed help. By they, I mean mom, dad and my sister and we needed to contribute. After all, that is my mommie and daddy.

Barry and I were in the process of designing our home with an architect and with mom not being able to manage on her own, it was decided that we would design room enough for her. In 2006, my mother moved into our new home with my new husband and I. 

The home was designed as a business  (a Personal Care Home) off the back. June 2006, we moved in and opened the business in October 2006. Within 1 month, we had our first resident. 

Mom did not adjust well to being away from Winder or feeling like her independence was disappearing. She just was not happy.

I thought I would help and try to get her out to meet people. This was not tolerated well at all. She wouldn’t even go out to church. At 66 years old, she didn’t feel like she fit in with the local Woman’s Club. She felt like she needed to take care of everyone. 

One day, while leaving Kroger, I saw a sign saying something about local singles with a phone number. I called and left a message. Mom received a call the next day and scheduled an appointment with the lady for the next day. 

When she arrived home, I was mortified to find out that I was the cause of my mother joining a match-making service. I could not believe she actually fell for the hooey that salesperson was slinging. 

Little did I know that mom was so miserable not being on her own, she was willing to look for another husband. She proceeded to fill out the paperwork and started receiving email from the matchmaker. She went out with a few lemons before she found her peach, Mr. D.

Mr. D. Was the cutest little thing and treated mom like a queen. It wasn’t long until we received the news of their impending marriage. They wanted to get married on the cruise ship, while in Mexico, but when they discovered that could not happen….off to the courthouse they went. We received a call the night before their departure to let us know they would be cruising as Mr. and Mrs. D. This was 2008.

The funny thing to end this story with, is that in the email from the matchmaker, it said that Mr. D. was at that time, 79 years old. Mom later found out that he was actually 8 years older.

He is still the cutest little thing on earth, but mom has moved back in with us. She is a big help to have around. Barry feels better knowing I am not home alone.