A visit with my mom

Mark and I went to visit mom this month. Here we are at her house.
This is a rare picture of me and my mom.

My relationship with my mom could be better and I'm trying to make sure I see her more often. She lives in Cookeville, Tennessee. She moved out there in 1990 when she divorced my dad. She lives in a house that belongs to my Aunt and Uncle. I am so grateful for them and all they do to help mom out. Mark and me went to see her a couple weeks ago. It is a long day in the car. My legs were so stiff and sore I could barely unfold myself and I hated for mom to see me limping along like I do now. I did warn her so she wouldn't be shocked. It was a nice visit for the most part. I tried to do some housework for her but she wouldn't let me do much. Mark and I went to Hobby Lobby one of those days and we also took one day and went out to see my Aunt and uncle.

This is Aunt Betty standing and Aunt Madge sitting: Can you believe Aunt Betty is 79 and Madge is 74? They are beautiful women and take good care of themselves.

This is me and Aunt Madge at her house in the woods. We had a really nice visit and they took us to lunch at the cutest little local cafe. I wish I had taken pictures of that.

All in all it was a nice visit. Mark wants to go back in the fall.

My brother, my hero!

I know I haven't posted on my blog for a long time and I could go into a long story about all that has happened since I last wrote but since I figure most everyone who is here reading this knows me.....they already know all about the story. Let me tell you about my brother Bill. Bill is a year and a half younger than me. We were close growing up and I moved away from home when I was 18 and fresh out of high school and he went into the Air Force right after he graduated. For years, we never saw each other or heard from each other except on Thanksgiving day when I was stuffing my turkey he would call me..he was stuffing his turkey then too and we both used our mom's bread stuffing recipe....and we would talk for an hour or more...until the next Thanksgiving....many years have passed since and he lives here in Michigan again. I see him several times a year now and we always are together at Christmas and dad's birthday for sure.


For years now I have sort of mourned that we aren't "close" like were were growing up. After I got sick, I realised we still are, just in a different way. When I went in for surgery, he was at the hospital that day ...he was the first to come in and see me after the surgery and brought my dad, afterwards, he made himself available to come and get me and bring me home (it was stalled for days). He is the one who came and got me and brought me home. He also came back the next week and installed safety bars in my bathroom for me. It made all the difference for me!



I have been back to work now for a month and going to physical therapy twice a week and doing better. On Friday my work computer took a dump and just stopped working. Because it is mine I am resposible for it. I took it home and called the place I bought it from, they said it would be at least 7-8 days and first come first serve. I was distraught. My brother asked me to bring it to him and he would look at it. Long story short, Video card went bad, he fixed it and I am ready to go back to work tomorrow. He is my hero. He has helped me so much lately and he just takes it in stride and says, "no problem". I don't know what I would do without my brother!
I love you Billy, thank you so much!

My great niece

Isn't she just a doll? I got to snuggle her this week. She was "cooing" and "talking" to me. I could just eat her up!

Her mommy and she came up from Florida to visit Grampa (my brother) and Gramma. Here is mamma and baby.

Her daddy is serving over in Iraq.
I think he will be home around May of 2009. I can't believe he is missing this little precious. Here he is with my brother and my father when he graduated from Boot camp. His name is Philip. He was named after my father which is a great source of pride for my dad. We are very proud of him.

Please come home safe Philip.