Ash Wednesday

Today is the beginning of lent. It is a time that I reflect on so many things. I just love this time of year. Even just a few short days ago it looked like this.

The top picture is my view from my front porch. The second one is of my back yard. All this snow is very beautiful. However this time of year I know it will be all over soon and spring is around the corner. YEA! I have decided to give up sugar for lent. I know I can do it. Just maybe a few pounds will go away in the next forty days with all of this snow.

Heidi

Happy Heart Day Drew!

When our youngest son Drew was born we were told that he had a condition called Tetrology of Fallot. Which means that he had two holes in his heart. We were told that when he was strong enough they would need to do open heart surgery to repair the holes.





On this day 22 years ago Drew had that open heart surgery. Today he is a strong and healthy Man. D and I thank GOD every day for him.

We hoped and prayed that one day he would have a son of his own. Now he does and D and I hoped and prayed that our boys would never feel the pain that we felt by having a son with a heart condition. So far our prayers have been answered.

Heidi

Hospital Pictures and a Hair Cut

The computer genius came by last night to set up Meg's new lap top. We are so grateful. Now I can post pictures from the Hospital. Here is our princess in the emergency room waiting for a room.

This was the next day when I brought her some balloons for Valentines Day. She had her oxygen off but the IV was still in.
It was so hard to keep her entertained and stay in that bed!

Here is her daddy finally getting her to take a nap. It was late Saturday afternoon after all of her aunts and uncles and other grandparents had left for the day. She was so tired but not giving into a nap until Daddy rocked her. We are so glad that she was well enough to go home Sunday. Yesterday she was almost back to her self.

Today was hair day. Meg and I were in desperate need of a highlight so Drew's friend Beckee came over to make us beautiful.

Drake also got a hair cut. His parents have to be creative when it is his turn. Sucker always works. He needed a bath after this. Hair and sucker was all over him. I just love a new hair cut and color. Helps me handle all this snow and winter cold much better. Not sure why; it just does. Did I mention that it has snowed everyday in February. It may have just been flurries but it was there. Gosh I am done with it.

Heidi

Valentine weekend in the hospital

Late Friday afternoon I went to Devin and Heather's to watch Aspen while they ran a few errands. Earlier in the week Aspen had been diagnosed with croup so they didn't want to get her out if they didn't have to. When I first arrived Aspen was asleep on Heather's lap. Heather and I had a brief conversation then I took Aspen from her and held her while they left. At that time Heather and I discussed that she was getting worse as the week went by. They had already taken her to one emergency room because of the croup this week. But Heather and I discussed it was time to take her to Children's Mercy.

After the kids got back from a brief errand we took her to Children's Mercy. I have pictures of our little princess however this computer will not allow me to upload them. I will hopefully be able to post them later in the week when Devin can get Meg's new lap top up and running.

So after Heather and I arrived at the hospital they did a brief exam and gave her some meds for her fever and told us to wait another 45 min to see if we see any improvement in her. She became considerably worse and it wasn't long until we were admitted. Her breathing was very labored and she was dehydrated.

At about 11:00 pm we finally got her in a room hooked up to oxygen and an IV with fluids. At midnight Heather and I were starving. Devin had to work that night so he was unable to stay. Heather went to the cafeteria to get us something to eat while Aspen was fast asleep. I don't know why but that was the best cheeseburger I have had in a while; it was probably all the people watching that Heather and I was doing in the emergency room. It sure works up at appetite. And there we plenty of sights to see.

I finally went home at around 1:30 am hoping that maybe Heather could get some rest. I arrived back to the hospital at around 10:00 am the next morning to help out in any way that I could. It is so hard for a two year old to understand that she needed to stay in bed and sit still. We had our work cut out for us.

Needless to say as the weekend went by the better she became. Tonight she is at home with her mom and dad resting comfortably with mom and dad pushing as much fluids as they can. Eating is still not important to her but as she starts to feel better hopefully so will her appetite.

The best Valentines ever is to see Aspen home and doing better. Other than that this was another snowy weekend. I don't believe it is ever going to stop snowing!

Heidi

Great Day!

For starters the sun was out today! This always helps. I also went shopping with my girls Heather, Meg and Aspen. Devin tagged along. We needed him for part of the shopping trip because Meg purchased a much needed lap top. I am so envious. I want one so bad. Did I ever mention that?

Meg will be going back to school in the fall and really needed this lap top. My reasons for wanting one is more important than that. Blogging!

I was with the computer genius this afternoon; still don't know how to post pictures. Dang! Hopefully over the next couple of days he will be by to set up Megs computer; I can have a crash course in picture posting then.

Hopefully there will be more sunny days this week. God knows how bad I need it; I have told him.

Heidi

SAD

Today I did absolutely nothing. I am experiencing that SAD; seasonal depression and just wanted to stay in bed all day. My asthma is rearing its ugly head once again. I have an appointment with a specialist for the 1st of March. That is the earliest that I can get in. Goosh; I hope I can make it until then.

It keeps snowing and snowing. I picked up some gardening books at the library but can't seem to find it in me to read them. I will be expanding my garden this year and want to do some research on tomatoes. If it would just warm up a tad and quit snowing so that I can see that spring will arrive.

D and I went to see the kids tonight in their new house. I would love to post pictures but still have not discussed it with Devin on just how to do that with this computer. I would also love to post a picture of the awesome print that Heather got me for Valentines Day. I just love it.
Did I mention that I need a laptop!

Heidi

Just a Monday

Ya know Mondays are so different for me now that I am not working. I am really starting to enjoy them. To be truthful when you don't work your not really sure what day it is. Especially when D is not working either. UGH!
Today I rearranged furniture. Now that half of the zoo members have their own place I have moved a bunch of furniture around. I put all of my sewing and craft stuff that was in my laundry room in a sewing and craft room. Now my laundry room is just a laundry room.

When Devin was moving all of his stuff from storage to his new house he decided he didn't want a few things. I am grateful that he allowed me to have them because most of the items were my grandmas. I have very few things of hers. The items that Devin gave me have no monetary value at all; just sentimental.

The move has taken a toll on Aspen and Heather. Both are not feeling to well today. The cold temps I am sure have a lot to do with it.

I would like to post pictures however Devin took the lap top with him so I am not sure I know how to down load on this desk top that he left me with. I will have to talk to him about it. I need a lap top so bad. Hopefully soon.

Heidi

Apprenticeship Completed/Moving Day

This week Drew completed his Apprenticeship program. He is now officially graduated from school. I really hate that these trade schools do not have a graduation. These guys work hard to complete this program and get no recognition at the end other than to say see ya. All done.

Well this mama is proud. I want to hold a small party for him or something; but I am not sure that he would let me do that. But Drew I am so proud of you. I know that there were so many ruff times this past four years. I am proud that you stuck it out and kept your goal in sight. (He probably wont even read this; oh well.)

Moving Day:

Devin and his family are moving into a place of their own this weekend. I know how difficult it was for so many living here at the zoo. They are so excited to be living on their own; and D and I are excited for them. They only moved about 15 minutes away to a town near by. I can't wait for them to get settled so that I can come and visit them. It's going to be hard not seeing Aspen and Brennon on a regular basis. But I know how happy they are. This location is good for them. Brennon's school in right down the road. He will be starting Kindergarten this fall.

We received about 5 inches of snow today. I am really getting cabin fever. I need spring to be here in the worst possible way.

Heidi

Cooking Class

Well last night was my cooking class with my friend HC at the local Parks and Rec. I did have a great time spending the evening with friends. However I feel the Parks Department needs to sick to Park related issues; or I just prefer someone to make cinnamon rolls for me. Probably the later.

I felt they taught us a really complicated recipe for cinnamon rolls. I know there has got to be a better way. With the whole process I had a terrible time trying to get my milk and butter temp to exactly 100 degrees so that I didn't kill the yeast. I kept thinking that this would be so much easier if I could call the local diner in my small town called Neighbor's that makes the best cinnamon rolls ever and order me a couple dozen and be eating them before my yeast has a chance to rise.

Oh well; I brought home a cookie sheet full of homemade cinnamon rolls that I will be putting in the oven Friday morning for all the Zoo members to enjoy. Why Friday? Well we are to have several inches of snow by then and it just seems like and item that I will need that morning. Either that or spike my coffee so that mentally I can handle another round of that beautiful white stuff.

Where is Spring?

Heidi

Emergency Room

I have been having problems with my asthma for the last couple of day. I am not sure why because my asthma is triggered my allergies. I have not been experiencing any allergy problems so I am not sure what triggered this attack. Monday night I got very little sleep because I simply could not breathe. I thought I would give it one more day and maybe with my inhaler it would settle down. Well at about 1 am this morning the inhaler ran out. As the hours went by the more problems I had in breathing.

At about 3 am I thought if I can just make it until the doctors office opens I will get in right away. But by 5 am I could hardly walk across the floor. I woke D and he took me to the emergency room right away. While D was parking the car after dropping me off at the emergency room door I slowly walked into the emergency room. I was the only one in there and as I approached the counter where a lady was sitting I tried to convey to her that I was having an asthma attack. All I could hear from her was "Don't I know you", "You look so familiar". I am thinking to myself. How can I look familiar; I am in my jammies; my hair is a mess; no makeup. Quite frankly I looked like crap.

As I am trying to smile but tell her I need help! I can't breathe. She finally picked up the phone and told someone hurry up to the front; lady in full blown asthma attack. I thought thank god she is doing something. In the mean time she ran to me to get my name. All I could get out was Heidi. She jumped up and said "I knew it". About that time D arrived and took over. I was whisked away to a room where 3 nurses and 2 doctors worked on me so quickly I felt my head spinning. All I could think of was I hadn't had a chance to call Devin. At about that time he was getting off work and doesn't know his mother is dying. Well that was a little dramatic but he has asthma. The only one in the family that does so I thought I would get the sympathy I needed from him. I needed someone to feel my pain of not being able to breathe. WOW this post is long!

After about fifteen minutes I was starting to breathe so much better. D decided that he needed coffee so he went back to the waiting room to find some. That ER lady followed him all the way to tell him that she went to high school with me. When D returned he told me this and for the life of me I do not know who she is. Her name was not even familiar. Oh well.

They did chest xrays and found out that I had cells that were collapsed. Meaning when I had pneumonia a couple of months ago my lungs were not fully healed. There was talk of keeping me overnight but I had a small tantrum and said I would return if I had any problems just please let me go home. They agreed after small fortune in meds I was released.

Now I am just ready for sleep.

Heidi