Technology, Haiti, and other stuff

Sometimes I really hate technology.  I had just entered a really nice LONG post...and it was quite well written, if I do say so myself (of course I can say that since there's no way to prove it).  And then I got distracted (who, me??) and when I tried to go back and finish it, it was gone!  Grrr.  Just Grrr...

Anyway, bottom line was I am looking SO forward to my trip to Haiti.  I've been reading online about it, I have ordered a book recommended by Linda (Mrs. Isbell, Nicole's teacher), and have read several blogs written by YWAM staffers at Nicole's school.  All this reading has made me so excited to finally get there, see my daughter!!, and experience a little of what she's experiencing right now.  I can't wait to see this "house" they're living in.  18 girls to a room!!  Pretty hard to imagine.  But, if anyone can make it work, Nicole can.  Once the girl makes her mind up to do something, she does it.  No stopping her.  So, I'm sure she's doing fine.  Dustin said she loves everyone there, and everyone loves her back.  Not much of a news flash there! :-)  Anyway, looking forward to my 9 days in Haiti.  It will be good, I know that.

In the meantime, please pray for all of us as we reach out to the Haitian people.  I'm praying for courage to speak boldly of Christ's love, and for sensitivity and willingness to do whatever God wants us to do.  And it never hurts to pray for saftety and health while we're there!

Thanks for reading.  I can't wait to post pictures and stories from my trip.... so, stay tuned.

Cathy

P.S.  Please also continue to pray for healing for my mom.  She's home and is doing well, but has NO appetite.  And when she does eat, she gets indigestion or nausea.  Not good.  Plus, she's a little bit lonely--missing her dogs.  And since she can't drive yet, or do much of anything, it's pretty quiet and boring around there.  So, pray for her to heal quickly, get her appetite back, and for patience as she waits for the time when she'll be reunited with more of her dogs. 

Also, pray for my dad who is feeling better, but, still not quite 100% back to his normal energetic self. 

Daddy update

Finally Daddy is feeling better!  Getting a little energy back!!   Yea!!!!!!!!!  Thank you, God!!!

Mother is going home!!!!!

YEA!!  So glad she will finally get to sleep in her own bed.  And no more lasix so no more getting up 45 times per night! 

Nicole has posted twice now on her blog.  Sounds like things are going amazingly well! 

Had lunch with Ryan yesterday.  Always a joy to spend time with my son.  :-)

More later..

Mother

Surgery went amazingly well!  Recuperation is moving along...hit a bump last night with some muscle spasms, but nothing a little extra morphine and dilaudid can't handle.  Thanks for prayers, email, well wishes!  My mom has a TON of friends!!  Very overwhelmed by all the outpouring of love.  So very blessed by all these wonderful people!

Stay tuned for more...

Nicole, Mother, Daddy updates

Nicole made it to Haiti and is doing well.  She asked for prayers for focus as she said she is feeling spiritually dry.  I think she may just be really really tired! :-)  But, I'm praying for focus for her, just the same.  She said her battery operated fan is a life saver!!

Mother's surgery is scheduled for Weds at 12 noon.  I delivered 5 of her dogs to their temporary homes this weekend...Casey to Linda, Mindy & Corky to Kelly, Mouse to Susie, and Suzy to Judy.  Whew...what a weekend!  Very emotionally draining for mother.  An unbelievable amount of planning, organizing, cooking, etc. was involved in finding and placing all of her dogs in "foster homes" while she is in the hospital and then at home recuperating from her surgery to correct her abdominal aneurism.  Please pray for her..not only that the surgery goes perfectly and that she recovers quickly, but that she will experience peace about having to "leave" her babies with strangers.  Most of them are rescues and she feels so guilty about sending them away since she's afraid it will be so scary for them.  Also, I will be praying that perhaps a few of them may become permanent fixtures in their temporary homes..this would be a huge blessing for mother, who, as usual, has taken on more than she should.  I also would like to THANK all of you who have volunteered to care for her dogs while she is recoovering.  You have no idea how much it means to her and to me to know that you will treat them with the same amount of love and attention that she does.  Thank you so much!

My dad's test results showed that he has angina--so the docs put a nitro patch on him which he will wear 24/7.  He is still struggling with low energy and weakness.  He has an appt with a blood specialist this week to try and determine the cause (anemia is the diagnosis so far) and hopefully some kind of treatment that will help him feel better.  He can't take iron pills, so it will have to be something else.

Got to see Ry for a few minutes...dropped Jack off yesterday and picked him up this afternoon.  He and Dennis kept Jack while I was helping mother...very nice of them.  Ry got his curlylocks cut, but not severely...just enough.  Love the new look!!

Now, I need to go CALL Daddy.  My phone battery was dead from all the calls today!  But, the most important one has yet to be made...to wish my dad Happy Father's Day...to the best Daddy in the universe.  Can't wait to tell him that!!

Ryan & Nicole

A lot is going on!!  Spent a good portion of the weekend with Ryan!!!  Yea!!!!!!  On Sunday, we had lunch at Genghis Grill, went to see the movie Super 8 at the IMAX, and then topped the day off with a douple-dip cone at Henry's Ice Cream!!  It was a great weekend. 

Then, I heard from Nicole this morning at 7:30.  She was at the Miami airport waiting to board her flight to Haiti.  Praying for smooth sailing thru the Haiti airport, customs, etc.  Will update more after I hear from her.  She promised to call when she arrives at the YWAM house.

Nicole

Just heard from Nicole.  Seems she is dehydrated and so "a little sick".  Praying that she isn't too sick to participate in the Machu Picchu exploration/hike today!!  VERY happy to hear from her.  Hope to hear more soon.

My parents are making me crazy!

OK, so it looks like my mom and dad are competing to see who can make their kids worry the most!  But, seriously, please be praying for both of them!  My dad went into the ER this morning with chest pains.  They say it's not a heart attack but are keeping him for observation, blood tests, and a stress test in the morning.  He's 86, so anything remotely resembling a heart attack gets our attention...especially since he's already had one and has a pacemaker and a stent.  Plus, he's anemic and can't take iron pills...so need prayer for that as well.

Mother is having an angiogram this morning to determine if her heart is strong enough for them to go forward with surgery to repair her abdominal aneurism.  So, please pray for EASY test (she is allergic to some dyes), and EASY or NO surgery necessary.  In other words, pray for complete healing!

Lord, please heal both my mom and dad from head to toe.  Give them strength and peace while going thru all these tests.  Keep them in your care.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

What to do next?

OK, so I'm officially an empty-nester for 5 1/2 months.  I made a to do list that is over a page long of all the things I want to accomplish while Nicole is gone.  So, what did I do last night?  I watched "So You Think You've Got Talent" and "The Voice" on TV.  Wow.  That was productive.  I did spend some time reading a new book about successful women which was inspiring...but, apparently not inspiring enough.  Oh, and when I weighed myself at the chiropractor's office this morning I had gained 4 pounds.  Nice.  Surely that has nothing to do with the bag of leftover mini-eclairs in my freezer...leftover from Nicole's graduation party.  Need to add to the to do list:  Call Sam's and see if they'll let me return 2 huge (unopened) boxes of cream puffs and eclairs.  Sighhh..... Oh, well, Jack and I had a nice relaxing evening anyway.  Just not so productive.  That will begin today.  Right?  Uh, yeah, right...

OK, so why did I set this thing up?

The only reason I started this blog was so I could post on the POPtravels blog--my main form of communication right now with Nicole and her group in Peru!  So, hey, why not post something on my own blog, since I've got one now!

Loved Nicole's post today.  Sounds like they're having a great time!  Can't wait to hear more tomorrow.

In the meantime, this mom is adjusting to the "empty nest syndrome"...seems like it came on a little too fast, but I'm dealing.  Got MY mom to worry about now...waiting to hear if she can have the "easy" fix or has to have the big bad surgery to take care of her abdominal aneurism.  Sighhh....praying for EASY.