Trip to Kentucky

Kylee and I had a great trip visiting Jeremy in Kentucky and being there for his graduation from Basic training!!! We were able to take him off base for the weekend. It was so hard leaving him again, but he has 6 more weeks of AIT (advanced individual training) and then he gets to come home for a little while. It may be a week and it could be up to a month depending on what the Army decides... We found out that he will be stationed at Fort Stewart in Georgia for up to 6 months before he ships out for deployment in Iraq, but that seems to change everytime we get a letter. The one thing that I have learned about the Army is that you can expect them to change their mind at least 5 times before every step along the way!!! Jeremy looked great and he is so much different now. He lost 15 pounds in basic training and he didn't have 15 to lose. He is so respectful and grown up now. The next time I get to see him will be Oct. 2 when he has his graduation from AIT.
The other 3 kids are doing great, school start Monday and Nate is starting kindergarden. The summer flew by so fast, where does the time go???

He is not a baby any more!!!

Jeremiah Jordan Frost

Man he is all grown up now!!! Can't believe that this is that chubby little baby that I used to cuddle and rock for hours at a time.
I have gotten to speak to him 2 times for less than 5 minutes each time over the last 2 months. He left here on June 9Th. I get letters from him weekly and he seems to be fitting in pretty well. I get to go and see him this week in Kentucky. I have never been to Kentucky before, Jeremy's girlfriend (Kylee) and I are flying out on Thursday morning and we get to stay till Monday. He gets to leave the base with us for the weekend. I am so ready to get on that plane... I am taking his platoon 36 dozen cookies, a dozen for each member of the platoon. I am still not sure how I am going to get them on American Airlines without it costing an arm and a leg, but I am going to get it done!!! I will have to get lots of pictures while I am there, and share them with you guyes. well things are still busy around here, I lost two patients over the weekend. That is another reason I want to get away.

July update before July is over

Well I finally got to talk to Jeremy, it was a month before I was able to talk to him on the phone. We talked about 2 minutes. I cried the entire time... Boo Hoo Hoo... I sure do miss him. Things here are very busy. Work is still a rat race, the LVN is still out with her foot, I think it has been 6 weeks now that she has been off. The 3 kids still at home are doing well. Dusty got all signed up with the Army. I learned with Jeremy that there is no use trying to fight it, so I just signed. It will be good for Dusty too. Jeremy has written us 6 letters so far. He sounds good, and I get to go visit in Aug. I can't wait. Kylee (his girlfriend) is going with me and we are flying to Kentucky. He gets out of basic training in Oct. on the 2nd or 3rd. He said he wants to be Baptized when he gets home. He has been reading his bible and praying. That is so exciting. Well this was just a quick update before the month flies by. School will be starting soon, where did the summer go???

Worn to a frazzlin thin

I have heard people say this in the past and I always wondered what that felt like, well I get it now!!! Today has been an emotional landslide. It was Kristi's memorial service and when it was over and I was back at my office, I felt completely drained. I have never cried this much for this long in all my life. It has to let up soon or I will dehydrate. After the services I was able to spend some time with Kristi's little girls. Her 6 year old gave me the biggest hug and told me she was going to live with Nana cuz her mommie died. I don't think that she really understands, but she may I don't know. There were so many people there that loved Kristi and the service was pretty. I just can't imagine never talking to or seeing Kristi again, it still seems so unreal. The other night I had a dream that started out with my son leaving for the army and they had an all day boot camp for the parents and new soldiers, which they do not do by the way, anyway back to the dream, in this dream there was a infirmary type place where there were nurses and Kristi was standing there in this doorway and she waved at me (like a goodbye wave) and then turned around and walked away. She was smiling and looked great, it was so real with the most vivid colors. There were a bunch of other things in the dream, but the last thing I remember was seeing Kristi and then I woke up. I know that I am not the only person in the world to loose someone that they care about, but I never knew that it could hurt this much. Like we say in the program, "THIS TOO SHAL PASS". Just not soon enough.

SO MANY TEARS

Today I lost one of my best friends. I just can't stop the flow of tears. Those of you that read regularly might remember my friend Kristi that had a heart attack on Dec. 7th of last year. This morning her little girls went in to wake her up and she was dead. That is about all anyone knows, they have taken her for an autopsy in Lubbock. Her girls are 3 year old Kyree, 6 year old Aston, and 15 year old Mariah. I don't know what will happen to them. Please pray for these little girls. I know that God is in charge, but I just don't understand why things like this happen.....

We had Baccalaureate on Sunday and Graduation is Friday night. I didn't think that I would be this sad that he is all grown up and ready to leave the nest. That is what they are supposed to do, grow up and become productive members of society. I will just miss him. He is a good kid, with a loving heart.
CONGRATULATIONS
JEREMIAH JORDAN FROST

How Time Flies

Wow things are so busy around here!!! We are getting ready for Jeremy's graduation and departure for the ARMY!!! Prom is over now, (thank goodness) We got Nate enrolled in K-5 for next year, he would not participate in the pre enrollment screening. He said "I don't want to" and "well my brother can do that", He is going to be so hard headed, on second thought, going to be??? He already is!!! Patrick had his first baseball game last night and he hit a home run on the first ball that was pitched to him. He hadn't even been to practice. He was so excited!!! Dusty is doing good, skateboarding and working. He is excited to be the oldest kid in the house when Jeremy leaves June 10th. Things are just rocking and rolling here... Hope everyone is ready for summer, it is on its way!!!

5 random bits of info

Well here are the 5 random things about me:

1) I love the smell of the air conditioner when you first turn it on.

2) When I was pregnant with my 4th son I craved strawberry applesauce and mustard sardines and lived on them for about 3 months, it was the only thing I could keep down. Now if I buy either my husband freaks out.

3) I have this weird phone thing, lots of time I will have someone on my mind and the phone will ring and it is them, and sometimes I pick up the phone to call them and they have just called and it never rang.

4) I am petrified of wasps, bee, and anything that flies and stings. They make me squeal like a little girl.

5) Last summer I played in the World Series of Poker ladies event in Las Vegas.

Can't get much more random than these 5 bits of info, thanks for the TAG Mommysmart, it was fun.

Everyone is well in our house finally!!! We just got home from Nebraska last night, just ahead of the snow. Things are still busy at work. Glenn has been gone for a week to Vegas and should be home sometime Tues. Sassie is doing great, she went to visit Neva with us and she is even more spoiled now. I will have to take some more pictures soon. Have a great week...

Has it really been 2 weeks?

I can't believe that it has been 2 weeks since the last post. We have been so busy at hospice. There is one nurse out with the flu and one that had a death in the family. On Tuesday we had 2 deaths and an admit in the same day and this week alone we had 4 admits. That is a bunch for us. In a small town everyone knows each other and all of the ones that have been admited are people that we know. We have 2 funerals tomorrow and one on Sat. Well enough about work!!! Our puppy is doing great, she got her 2nd set of shots on Tuesday. When I come home from work and it has been a long day it is great to just play with her and you can't help but smile. She has been great for this family. Everyone (including Glenn) loves her. The kids have been sick, Patrick and Nate had the influenza virus (flu) and Patrick missed 5 days of school. Jeremy has something, but he tested neg for influenza. The flu is everywhere!!! Today is Valentines Day and also my moms birthday. Happy Birthday Mom. I recieved a great gift for Valentines Day (A 20oz bottle of Coca-Cola) they are red and white you know. It is the thought that counts and at the time it was the best gift in the world!!! Thank you Hunny. I hope that everyone had a great Valentines Day. I am going to get these kids fed and down for the night and go to bed early. That is the plan anyway, we will see....

Sassie Girl

This is my new baby "Sassie Girl" She is just the sweetest little thing. I put my cell phone up next to her to show how little she is. Today she wasn't feeling very well, but tonight she is eating and playing again after she got some medicine. The entire family loves her. Even DAD!!!
I attended the funeral of one of my patients today, which is not new, but this one made me sad. Some patients just touch your heart more than others. She was a very special lady with a wonderful family. It was nice to come home and snuggle with Sassie. Have a great weekend everyone.

Puppy Power

New news: We are going to have an addition to the family on Friday. Her name is Sassie Girl, a 7 week old Yorkie that I fell in love with. She is just the sweetest little thing, the kids love her, and the hubby is accepting her more every day. He didn't really want her at first, but he is softening up. I just can't wait to bring her home. I get to go and see her every day and play with her and we are bonding. She has such a calming effect on everyone she comes in contact with. I have taken her to visit some of my manor hospice patients and they just love her. When we get her home I plan to put some pictures of her in the blog. Hope everyone is having a great week.

Wow What A Week

Can't believe it has been a week since the last post, the time flew by. I have been busy with lots of things. Work is still buzzing with activity. I have been to 6 NA meetings over the last week, some here at home and others in other towns. When we have someone new in the program it is a good idea to take them to as many meetings as possible in the first few weeks to help them establish a good foundation in recovery in the very beginning. So I have been going more than usual. Church was great Sunday as usual. Our Sunday School class is going to try and make a difference in the community this year and we completed our first project on Sunday evening then went out for pizza. Every month we are going to have a helping project and a fun activity for our group. It is going to be so much fun. I just love it, they are such a fun group of people. I was telling a friend the other day that if I was any happier I would have to be twins.
The kids are doing great, Nate who is 4,decided the other night that he was due for an over haul. He was sitting on the couch with a cup of milk and he was dipping something in it and putting it in his mouth. I asked him what it was and he just shrugged his shoulders. I made him spit it out and it was a car fuse, the plug in kind, he had a bunch of them that he had gotten out of the car glove box. He never would tell me if he had eaten any of them, so I had Glenn x-ray him to make sure he had not swallowed any. I know that was drastic, but how else could you know for sure. He told me later that he wanted to be an autobot, like the transformers. He watches too much TV! Later in the week Patrick who is 7 decided to take Nate's Elmo, who is his best friend and goes everywhere with us, and he cut off his leg with a pair of scissors while Nate watched. Nate freaked out of course, Patrick was in big trouble. Elmo now has his leg back on and everyone is fine. Never a dull moment in this house.

Another Great Sunday

Today was great, my friend and new Sister in Christ Kathy came to church with her 4 kids. Our congregation welcomed her with open arms. She said she really enjoyed the service. We went out to lunch with a couple from the church and talked and talked. All 6 kids were on their best behavior, I only had 2 with me today. My Sunday school class discussed different projects that we want to do this next year and I am so excited to be part of this group. I don't know exactly when it happened, but I feel like I belong now, no longer just a visitor, but a member. That probably sounds weird, but I feel accepted and welcome now. I know that it was just my insecurities that kept me from feeling like I fit in, and maybe some of it was Satan working on me trying to keep me from feeling comfortable so that I would not stay after Ned and Neva left, what ever it was I am just glad it is over. I am not saying I click 100% with every one in the congregation, but I know they love me and my kids and I love them. It is cool to be part of the church family. I hope you all had a great Sunday.

What A Blessing

Today was absolutely incredible. One of my very best friends was baptized. Wow!!! Kathy is now not only my friend, but my sister in Christ. It is just too cool for words. She had the most peaceful expression and after the tears dried up (once we got to the car) we just couldn't stop smiling. We talked for a while about all the past sins being washed away and where to go from here. She has a wonderful support group and lots of people that love her, so she will do great! I just know it.
I don't talk much in my blog about my past, not because I am ashamed, but because of what some of the readers might think. The reason I mention this now is because of how I know Kathy. I am an addict and have attended NA (Narcotics Anonymous) for over 5 years and today I have 5 years, 4 months, and 12 days clean. I have worked with lots of girls that are just like me that struggle every day to stay clean and change their lives for the better. Some make it, and some don't. The ones that go back out and die in their addiction are the ones that break my heart. They don't get another chance. Kathy is one of those success stories, she has grown and put her recovery as a priority and this is just the next step.
So many times when an addict arrives in NA they have pulled so far away from God that it is so difficult for them to turn around and reach out for his saving grace. Lots of them think that the things that they did in their addiction will permanently keep them from returning to God, or they never have been exposed to God or church of any kind. They usual have very deep wounds that they do not think will ever heal.
It took me a very long time to come back to God. I can look back now and see all the times that God reached out to me and I just wasn't ready and I tried to just do it on my own. He first sent me a sponsor that is like a spiritual giant and I just couldn't relate at that point. I love her dearly and now she is one of my biggest spiritual teachers. There were so many other times and people that he tried to use to reach me, and finally he sent Neva. He had to pull out the big guns with me. If you know Neva, you know what I mean. (Love You Neba) I am so grateful that I am where I am now and I am also grateful for my past, so that I can relate to people that have been down the same road that I was on and want to find another way to live. We have a saying in NA "One addict helping another is without parallel". I guess it is the same way with becoming a Christian, it takes one to teach someone how to be one. Thank you to all my Brothers and Sisters and the Christian blog buddies that are teaching me every day.
Well I hope this post does not freak any of you out, but this is just part of who I am. Welcome to a little corner of my world.

Amazed By Gods Love

I am absolutely amazed by Gods love and the way that he works miracles. Have you ever been talking to someone about salvation and just the right words seem to appear out of no where? Well I had that happen last night. I have a friend that I have known for about 5 years and we were talking and the topic of church and baptism came up and she has been really struggling with whether she should be baptized or not. As the night progressed and as we talked and talked it was no longer if, but when. Now for the miracle part, in the morning at 10:00 she will be baptized. I am just so excited I just can't stand it. It has only been a few months since I was baptized and I can understand her feelings of being nervous and excited at the same time. Her name is Kathy and she will make a wonderful addition to the family. Please add her to your prayers, thanks.

Off To A Great Start

My New Year started off great. I took 3 of my boys to visit some friends in Nebraska and we all had a lot of fun. My oldest son had gone skiing with his friends. On the way there my boys saw some buffalo that were right by the fence and they all thought they were really cool, so did I. Patrick wanted to get one of the babies for a pet. We all got along really well in the car, no fighting from the back seat. That is amazing with the 3 that I took. We did lots of church things while we were there. I counted up the hours we spent in the church over the 3 days we were there and it was 14 hours. If you would have told me last year that I would enjoy spending 14 hours in a church building I would have said you were nuts. Sunday we went to Sunday school and regular worship services, and in the afternoon they had singing and then evening services. New Years eve we went to the New Years eve party and we all had a blast. The kids played games and shot nerf guns for hours, some of the adults played too. Sometimes I just can't believe how much things have changed over the past few months. I am looking forward to what the new year has to offer. I read a few blogs today that had New Years resolutions and there are a few things that I have on my list this year that would have never been there before. More shall be revealed as this year unfolds. Have a Happy New Year blog buddies!